


Where We Left Off

by TheUnkindledQueen



Category: Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order (Video Game)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, Implied/Referenced Torture, Mental Instability, Since I refuse to accept Trilla's death as canon I gave her a chance at a new life, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, redemption fic, you'll see when you read it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:20:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 46,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28305936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheUnkindledQueen/pseuds/TheUnkindledQueen
Summary: She was saved by them to live the old life she'd left behind. She battles the Dark Side, but this time, she isn't alone. - AU. (TrillaXOC)
Relationships: Trilla Suduri | Second Sister & Original Character(s)
Comments: 24
Kudos: 21





	1. So It Begins

**Author's Note:**

> "A good act does not wash out the bad, nor a bad act the good. Each should have its own reward."  
> ― George R.R. Martin, A Clash of Kings
> 
> "We can be redeemed only to the extent to which we see ourselves."  
> ― Martin Buber

~O~

_Where am I?_

_Who is that?_

There were alarms going off all around her, constantly blaring. They were loud, but sounded so far away. Her body felt light.

She was moving through the corridor, but not moving. Someone was carrying her.

"Hurry! Go! Go!"

Trilla could see shapes around her as she blinked in and out of consciousness; she saw a door and Cere running ahead, armed with a red lightsaber. HER saber.

"There's more down the corridor!"

"I got them! Go!"

Trilla shuddered, looking up into the face of her savior - Cal Kestis. He was staring ahead of him with a face full of purpose and resolve, flanked by the Nightsister in their company. He was panting heavily and Trilla's head rolled weakly on her shoulders, noticing several troopers pouring in to stop them.

_It won't be long then, won't it?_

_It was such a lovely thought, but you were fools to try..._

She remembered how He had come and struck her down - She had failed, of course. She had smelled the smoke, tasted the burning of her flesh in the air. She heard Cere scream from somewhere far away. She felt the Force buckling around her from Him. From His wrath and His hate.

He had killed her. How was she still breathing?

Why had they come back to save her?

"I have them!" the Nightsister declared.

A flash of green light from her hand that was almost unbearable to watch; then came a chanting in Dathomirian. The troopers were propelled backwards by the force of her magic with several terrified shouts as they struck the wall like dolls.

Trilla's eyes closed, she felt so weak. Her body was numb.

She lost consciousness once more.

When she awoke again, she felt warmer.

Trilla could barely see where she was through a haze of pain; a ship of some kind, piloted by a Latero, shouting something to the others around him. The ship was rocking violently and weapons were discharged. Shouts all around her. It was chaos as she struggled to keep focus on what was happening through the pain.

A hand was on her shoulder, steadying her.

She could vaguely see the Nightsister at her side, her pale face a mask of focus. She was chanting something in her native tongue, her eyes and lips green. Such a haunting sight.

"They're still on us! Hold on!" the Latero shouted.

A crack, a thunderous roar of entering hyperspace and Trilla's word went black once more. She saw a Rodian Youngling watching her before her eyes closed.

_He had died._

_They had killed him in front of me._

O

"She has a fever. She needs a healer."

"Sorgan is a backwater planet. There's no way anyone will be here to help us."

"It's the best chance she has and the closest planet. I need to keep her awake."

Trilla laid there, shivering uncontrollably. She clutched the metal of her bed tightly, feeling hands on her back. The Nightsister had undressed her and her hands felt as cold as ice. It was like being stabbed all over again.

She sucked in a sharp breath, retreating from her touch like a wounded animal. She would fight her like one if she had to.

_There is no threat. They tried to help, didn't they?_

_But why?_

_Why, indeed?_

"Your hands!" she hissed at the Nightsister, voice hoarse, "They're cold."

Merrin sighed, shaking her head. "No. You're just burning up." she told her. "You have a fever." She trailed off, confusion in her low tones. "It's so very strange."

Cere was suddenly at her side and Trilla hid her face from her in the cool metal of the bed. She didn't want to look at her like this.

_Don't._

_Don't look at me like this._

"What's strange?" Cere asked, worry in her voice.

"I've never seen a wound from a lightsaber cause an infection like this one," Merrin explained, wrinkling her brow, "This is not a sickness of the body. But one of the mind."

It was certainly something that stirred Cere where she sat. She looked down at Trilla with pain. She knew what sort of sickness of the mind it was.

The lightsaber wound that had slashed her back was tended to by Merrin's magic; light of green that cast a glow across the room. It was an ugly wound that had discolored her skin and burned it. It would heal on its own if they managed to save her, but the scar would always be there.

A chanting in her native tongue; the Nightsister was attempting to help.

Trilla felt a soothing warmth wash across her and for a moment, she was comforted by it. She could sleep again, really.

"I can find something in the town," Cal spoke from somewhere in the ship. "I'll go and you keep a watch over her."

"Yeah, sure," the Latero spoke from somewhere, his tone dry, "Assuming she doesn't trash my ship when she gets strong enough."

"Greez..." Cere said, with a sigh.

"Alright, alright. Just be quick, okay? She's not lookin' too good."

Trilla hissed softly, her eyes focusing weakly on the alien standing there now, watching her. They were all poking at her like some kind of specimen. But she had little strength in her to protest and little will to say otherwise. Her mind was in turmoil along with her body. The Nightsister spoke truth.

Cal was there at the door and gone, his little droid chirping the entire time.

O

_Trilla stood there in the dark._

_There was nothing around her, but she felt it; it was a cold change in her heart, a twisting like knives, a sound scraping against her head._

_Someone was laughing near her._

_Trilla looked over to her side and saw a version of herself strapped to the table, eyes wild, laughing madly._

_Another version was standing across from her, eyes cold and accusing._

_Another version of herself as a young Padawan._

_"Don't look, don't look, don't look..."_

_Whispers around her, in various voices chanting it over and over again._

_Heavy footsteps and Trilla's breathing quickened with fright._

_The voiced stopped._

_She looked up and saw Him stalking through the shadows toward her._

_He was breathing heavily through his black, shining mask, stepping through the mist, armed with his red lightsaber. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't move. She could only stand there as she hyperventilated, eyes wide and frightened._

_He raised his saber and brought it down upon her._

Cere struggled to hold Trilla's body down and Merrin was helping, urging her to roll her on her side as the woman convulsed uncontrollably. She was choking, pooling saliva beneath her chin and Cere held her, struggling to speak.

"Don't let her choke!" Merrin hissed, with effort. "Keep her on her side!"

"Trilla, I have you, I have you," Cere soothed, when she felt the tremors slowly subside, "I have you..."

She gently ran a hand through the sticky locks of her hair, soothing her with all the grace and maternal warmth of a mother. Trilla didn't respond, but her breathing seemed to even out, her shaking stopping completely. It seemed to work.

"There. She should be fine for now." Merrin replied. She watched her for a moment, her features softening. "I hope she gets better."

"Yeah," Cere agreed, taking a moment to calm herself, "Even then, there's so much I have to do. So much I have to fix. It'll take a long time."

"Yes," Merrin agreed, with a small smile and a nod.

"Do you think it'll be easy from here on out?"

"No." Merrin replied, blunt and to the point. Off of Cere's troubled frown, she continued. "But this is a good enough start. She needs to know that she's safe with you again and that the path she chooses is the best path."

"You believe that?"

"I believe it's worth the effort."

Cere nodded slightly. She looked down at Trilla, watching as she slept soundly now. Her skin felt burning hot to the touch and sticky with sweat as she pressed her palm across her forehead. She hoped Cal found something.

Trilla mumbled something and Cere leaned forward to hear better. But she couldn't make it out.

O

Someone new was there with them.

Trilla weakly opened her eyes, spotting the sight of grey robes in her field of vision. A female voice was speaking and she could barely hear it over the muffled roar in her ears.

"...You're blind."

"Yes, I am."

"Forgive me for asking, but how do you plan to help?"

"I was born blind, but my skills in healing have never been questioned," the female voice spoke, her tone patient, "Now, may I take a look at her?"

"Of course. I'm sorry."

Trilla thought the voice was pleasant to hear; she was given a warmth from it that filled her being and the hand that touched her cheek felt gentle, soothing. She couldn't help but barely lean into it.

"What is her name?"

"Uh...Trilla." Cere answered.

"Trilla." Her name on the woman's lips stirred her chest. "I like that. It's pretty."

If the former Inquisitor had the strength, she would laugh. But even that hurt.

"Tell me, where is your kitchen?"

"Uh, over here." Greez said. "Right this way."

Footsteps retreating, but Trilla could still hear them talking through her feverish senses.

"...I'm sorry. It's a bit of a mess."

A chuckle from the stranger, a rolling warmth down her spine. "Don't worry. I have a mess like this in my shop. It's not a bother, I promise."

"What are you making?"

"A brew that she can drink," the stranger continued, "It'll help with her fever and give her strength to move around, at least. I can give you the recipe, if you'd like."

Cere sounded quite grateful. "Thank you! I'm...grateful for your help."

"Of course. May I have some time alone with her while this brews? It'll be done in a few minutes and that's all the time I need."

"Of course!" Cal told her. "We'll be out here close if you need us."

The sound of approaching footsteps made Trilla look up weakly. She could barely see the person there. She felt hands on her bare shoulders and it made her draw into their warmth. She felt fingers near her wound and uttered a sharp, rather loud gasp.

"Sorry." the stranger said, truly sounding remorseful, "I can feel the wound here. It's...aggressive. It's full of dark hate. Biting. Stinging in your skin."

Her words were soft, but filled with a strain that Trilla could hear through the haze of her fever.

She could feel a change in those hands; a warmth that searched through her very heart, deep into the place where her connection to the Force lay deep.

A Force-sensitive woman. Of course.

She set her jaw, swallowed thickly, struggling to see her caretaker. The fever, combined with her twisted mind set her thoughts ablaze and her senses reeling.

"You are suffering," the woman continued, sympathetically, "You're in pain." Her breath hitched with pain and she coughed to hide it. "Even when this saber cut you, I felt it go in. I..."

Her hands retreated and she returned only after a moment to the wound. The sensations Trilla felt next were comforting. The pain in her back had ceased, and through it, she noticed the woman had looked over her shoulder briefly when the door opened.

Cere had entered, holding the brew in her hand. "It's finished. I thought I'd bring it to you - Are you alright?"

"Oh! Yes, I'm fine! I didn't eat before I arrived and I'm a little dizzy."

Trilla felt a hand behind her head and found Cere smiling warmly at her. She was holding the brew in her hand.

"Drink this, Trilla." she said, "It'll help."

Trilla stared down at the cup as she pushed herself onto her elbows; it smelled horrid and she grimaced. "What...What's in this?"

"Best you don't know." the stranger replied, with a small laugh. "But it will help you feel better."

Trilla hesitated for a few moments before taking the cup and bringing it to her lips. She took a drink, wincing at the terrible flavor. Her hands were shaking and it took effort to keep the contents from spilling everywhere. The warmth of it was soothing and it did help her feel a little more relaxed. She tasted a hint of alcohol as well, which suited her just fine.

When she blinked and looked around, the found the stranger was rising and leaving the room. Trilla gave a weak grunt and collapsed into the bed.

O

_Her eyes opened in the dark again._

_It was cold, the whispers returning, pleading with her not to look. But she was pushed, drawn to stare at the shadows in the dark corners. Her eyes widened in horror._

_She was in the interrogation room, looking at herself as she was strapped to the table. She could see herself as the Dark Shadow, smiling with cold indifference; eyes glowing red._

_The electricity came next._

_Then her screams._

Trilla's eyes opened with a strangled sound. Cere heard her scream from the other room and quickly hurried to her side. She thrashed, screaming again and the older woman shushed her, attempting to calm her as she fought.

The walls of the ship buckled from her emotions, the Force bending around them with her grief. Cere cupped her cheeks, making her look at her.

"Trilla! Trilla, it's me! It's me!"

Trilla looked up at her, letting out several frightened breaths before she looked sharply around the room, struggling to come to terms with where she was. The metal of the ship groaned once more as she relaxed as much as she felt possible.

The air was no longer thick, the crackling of her emotions gradually declining.

And there was her former master.

She hadn't left this time.

She still felt weak as she leaned against her arm, holding a hand to her face. There was a dizzying sensation that took hold, threatening to have her vomit everywhere.

"How long was I gone for?" Trilla asked, her voice rough.

"A few days." Cere told her, wringing her hands together. "We couldn't risk moving just yet. Not after that Imperial squadron chased us down through three systems. We've been camped here on this planet."

Trilla's brow knotted. "Where are we?"

"Sorgan."

Trilla gave a dry, humorless laugh. "And to whom do I owe thanks for their healing hands?"

"There was a healer who came to visit you. She's been visiting for a few days."

Trilla started to stir and Cere raised one hand. "You need to rest."

"I've rested. Enough." Trilla whispered, severely. The roughness disappeared, replaced with that smooth, dangerous pitch she was infamous for.

Cere sighed through her nose and lowered her head briefly. "I know. I know you have. I was just worried about you, Trilla. I saw you fall and..." She paused when she caught the brief look of fear that lit Trilla's face. Her voice caught in her throat. "I just want to make sure I don't fail you again."

Trilla let out a small groan, but she was far too weak and had no interest in arguing with her for now. She leaned back slightly before hissing as she turned to get comfortable on her back.

"Where are the others?" she asked. "It's quiet. I assume that loud Latero isn't here either?"

Cere chuckled slightly, nodding. "That's Greez for you. He went into town looking for provisions with Cal and Merrin."

"Oh?"

"Yeah we were running a bit low. We're keeping a low profile for now."

Just then, Trilla noticed BD-1 hop up beside her. She frowned down at the little droid and watched as it studied her, antenna flicking back and forth. It chirped a few times and she continued to stare for a few moments before speaking.

"I can't understand you." she said.

BD-1 gave a disappointed chirp before hopping back to Cere.

"We can talk later," Cere's tone was strangely harder than she probably intended; something was bothering her, "Right now, rest up. I'll be outside if you need me."

A simple nod from Trilla and nothing more was said.

Cere departed, but the little droid chose to remain. Trilla knew he was standing there on the nearby table, watching her. She glanced down partially to see it tilt its head and wave its antenna once when she acknowledge.

"What do you want?" she said, tired. "Go bother someone else."

BD-1 lifted its head and a sliver of light beamed out from one optic. Trilla looked up, eyes heavy with exhaustion as a hologram of Cere playing the hallikset. Trilla gave a caustic laugh, shaking her head and looking at the droid.

"You're cruel, you know." she said. "Playing that song to torment me."

But she didn't fight the little droid on it. She only watched the hologram of Cere as she played the instrument and was reminded of better days. Before her betrayal. Before the torture. When it all seemed so very simple.

"You know, the Younglings used to enjoy her music," Trilla didn't know why she started to talk, "They'd laugh and play when we finished our training. Cere had a heart that most Masters did not. Hm. Perhaps that's how they broke her first."

She gave a short laugh. BD-1 let out a little forlorn beeping sound before moving closer and taking a little spot at her side. Trilla looked down at the droid, let out a small sigh and decided to let it stay there for now.

Whatever came tomorrow, she didn't know if she'd sleep.


	2. The Samaritan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, [Thou] son of David, have mercy on us."
> 
> \- Matthew 9:27

~O~

"Her fever has broken."

"Good. How has she been?"

"She's been gaining her strength back. It will still take some time."

The Force felt out of her reach.

Trilla leaned her hands against the wall of the shower, letting the water soothe her back. She closed her eyes, feeling for it and ignoring the chatter on the other side of the room. Her connection to the Force felt broken, twisted and gnarled up inside.

She saw His face.

Don't look. Don't look. Don't look.

Trilla's eyes snapped open with a small gasp when she heard a knock at the door. Cere's voice was just behind it.

"Trilla?" she called, her tone quiet and careful, "Are you alright? I have some clean clothes out here for you."

Cere waited for a moment when she received no response. She could hear the water shut off and she backed away when the door opened just enough for her to see Trilla's eyes staring out at her. She gave her a smile and offered a pile of clothes to her.

"Here. It's not much but you probably shouldn't run around in those...Inquisitor's clothes while here," she suggested.

Trilla took the offerings and shut the door behind her without another word. Cere stood there for a moment, hesitating before she spoke.

"We'll be out here when you're ready." she said.

Trilla winced as she put on the clothes; a simple shirt and trousers of white and a greatcoat, which suited her somewhat. It wasn't much different from her Inquisitor attire, though the material was far less impressive. Still, it fit proper and was clean enough for her.

Her body ached and it took effort to walk out of the shower room.

When she stepped out, Greez was there with a towel in one of his four hands. He froze when he saw her and she stared back at him.

"Heh, hey," he said, wiping one hand down, "How you doin'? You, uh, you hungry? I made stew. My great grandmother's recipe. I think you'll really get a kick out of it."

Trilla could smell it in the air; she sniffed a little, catching scents of roast, broth, various vegetables that had been cooking for quite some time. It smelled rather good, she had to admit.

"Stew." she said. "Alright...I suppose."

Greez was momentarily surprised by her acceptance. He'd expected an argument or some kind of quip - a mockery of any sort. But she didn't seem interested in any of that.

"Well, alright!" he said, moving to get her a bowl. "Hold on. I'll get you some."

Trilla watched him work and waited until he placed the bowl in front of her. She leaned forward, taking in the aroma of the stew, watching the pieces of meat floating in the broth. She took a few careful sips of it and Greez sat there with an eager smile on his face.

He certainly seemed determined to earn her favor with it. Trilla didn't see why, but she was hungry and it wasn't as bad as she expected. The Latero had some skill in cooking, it would seem.

"Well?" Greez queried.

Trilla glanced at him briefly before nodding once. That was all.

She heard the sounds of steps and looked sharply toward the door as Cal, Merrin and Cere walked inside. Cere seemed pleased to see her eating something and Cal looked mildly cautious. The Nightsister didn't seem very certain of her presence. There was a tenseness in her stare, a caution that Trilla could pick up on in someone quite easily.

Cere took a seat beside her, but still maintained a proper distance. She was taking her time. "So, how are we doing?" she asked.

"Fine." Trilla replied, "Just delighting myself in the culinary skills of your Latero captain."

Greeze smiled, missing the jibe. "Hey! At least someone appreciates it."

Cere gave him a look before she glanced down, distracted. Trilla caught the gestures of her hands. It was a new detail she'd never noticed in her former master. But much had changed in such a long time. Perhaps it had been a nervous tic.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

Trilla simply gave a small nod to indicate that she was fine. The broth from the stew eased the rotten feeling in her stomach as she continued to take small bites. She'd seen starving prisoners and what it did to them. There was no need to humiliate herself and throw up her meal.

"We had to be careful here," Cal informed her. "Jedi aren't really popular on this planet. We'll need to keep a low profile for now."

Trilla glanced up at him from her bowl at that news. He'd spoken to her for the first time since their rescue.

"Will they recognize her?" Merrin questioned, eyes never leaving Trilla.

"Don't know. Have you been here before?" Cal looked at Trilla curiously.

The former Inquisitor shook her head. "No. This backwater hole serves little use to anyone, I'm afraid."

A few looks from them. Really, what did they expect from her? It was true, after all.

She found that she had little interest in engaging them at the moment; the food was her priority as was leaving the ship for some air. It felt crowded, hard to breathe and her body was aching from resting for so long.

And she was more curious now about the Force-sensitive person who'd healed her. How did such a person live in a world with such prejudices?

She expected arguments for certain. Fortunately, Cere had spoken on her behalf.

"Well, we should visit the healer now that you're up and moving," Cere offered, "I can take you to her. She wants to take one final look at you. It would save her a trip to the Mantis and you'll get a chance to stretch your legs a bit."

Trilla smiled thinly, nodding once. That sounded fine to her.

She could see that the others didn't trust her, at least, not entirely. Cere wanted to give her a chance. Perhaps she felt some unspoken obligation to do so.

But there was still a shadow rolling deep inside her heart; a hate that lingered when she looked at the other woman. Forgiveness felt so far away, but not gone entirely. Cere had said the words, she had clearly meant every single one. But Trilla hadn't been ready to say it herself. She still felt the sting of it, the loss of herself.

The hate still whispered in her ear.

O

The little village was charming in its own right.

People made their way passed them, chatting aimlessly, it seemed. Mostly humans, though there seemed to be a few other species - travelers, surely. They showed no interest in the two, though a few lingering looks here and there.

"So, what do you make of the place?" Cere asked. "Cute, right?"

Trilla wrinkled her nose somewhat. "I suppose. I could do without the smell."

"There's a krill farming village on this planet. This one deals in trade and medicine," Cere explained. She paused once and lowered her voice. "They have a fear of the Jedi. So, if we plan to hide out for a while and keep from the Empire's radar, we need to maintain a low profile for now. Just as Cal said."

Trilla thought about that; she'd been presumably killed, saved by them and most likely deemed a traitor to the Empire. She had no idea what she would do next or what would come after that. But Cere did have a point. Her connection to the Force felt...twisted. She would have to spend time recovering before starting any problems.

Even if these locals posed no threat to her in her current state, she would have to see.

They approached an average-sized house made up of wood and leaves. Cere pushed the curtain aside was the first in. Trilla followed.

The house smelled of peculiar incense and salves, not overpowering, thankfully. Trilla eyed the shelves made up of jars of fluid, herbs and other things necessary for a healer. Toward the back, a young girl stepped out with who Trilla assumed was her mother.

Another woman followed and she sensed it immediately - a Force wielder.

She was a young, fair thing in familiar gray robes. Her long brown hair was tied up neatly in a bun.

She was talking to the child with her back to the others. Her voice was like a wet finger running across the rim of a glass. It was soothing to the family there and to the two waiting. Trilla remembered it. This had been the stranger.

"...Take this three times daily. It will clear in a few days." the healer assured them.

"Thank you." the mother told her.

When she turned, Trilla noticed that the healer was, in fact, blind. Her eyes were pale blue and clouded. She looked to have some genetic traits of a Miraluka. Perhaps she was a descendant of one? Such a sight wasn't uncommon.

"Ah, good morning." she greeted. "Cere Junda, I assume?"

Cere smiled at her. "Yeah, I'm here with Trilla. You wanted to see her."

The woman nodded her approval, making her way over to them. "Good. I take it the brew has been working?"

"As well as ever," Trilla replied.

"Good! I'm glad." The woman gestured to a nearby chair. "Could you sit for me, please?"

"Me or her?"

"You."

Trilla glanced only for a moment to Cere before she walked up, taking a seat in the place that the woman had indicated.

"What do they call you, good doctor?" Trilla questioned, with a small note of curiosity to follow when she watched the woman make her way behind her.

"Krane."

"Oh. Are you serious?"

"Sienna Krane." The woman said, with a small laugh of amusement at Trilla's perplexed tone.

"You're not related to Toro Krane, are you? He functioned as a Reserve Officer in the Empire."

Another light chuckle. "No. No relation, I'm afraid."

She raised two hands above Trilla's shoulders and immediately, the other woman inhaled sharply at the sensations that came next.

A rolling warmth through her body, a soothing comfort that came to her in waves. Like a massage that eased its way through her fiber. Her connection to the Force was twisting tighter at the contact of another. It was repulsed by the gentleness, unsure of what to do. It anticipated agony to follow.

"You're a Jedi. Well...were a Jedi." Sienna said, in a low voice. She felt a tenseness in Trilla's body at the mention. "There's colors that swirl and churn. A shadow drapes itself over you..."

Cere watched the scene, cautious. She only looked briefly over her shoulder to make sure no one would come in and see what was going on.

"How is that?" Sienna queried, hands still hovering over Trilla's shoulders.

"Twisted...aching..." Trilla mumbled. "I..."

"Yes, you've dealt with great trauma," Sienna continued, voice filled with sadness, "I can feel it deeply rooted inside of you. You're pushing back. Relax. You're safe here."

Her voice was almost entranced and Trilla felt herself melting into the energy from Sienna's. Her eyes fluttered shut, a small sound left her lips. Sienna reached lower, where the scar from the saber that struck her was.

She saw a flash through her mind.

She saw Him standing there.

Trilla's eyes snapped open and she let out a strangled shout, retreating from Sienna and stumbling to the floor onto her hands and knees. The healer sighed and raised one hand in Cere's direction when the older woman attempted to step forward to help.

Trilla was shaking, her breath catching in her throat. She struggled to calm herself as she felt Sienna's hands on her shoulders. It made her seize and the healer smiled, her tone comforting.

"It's alright," she assured her, "You need more time. That's okay."

O

Sienna's hands.

Trilla found herself focused on the other woman's hands as she worked at the table. She had questions about the other Force-sensitive woman. How had she avoided the Empire for as long as she did. Why did she live amongst those who feared and hated the Jedi?

"Force empathy was a gift I learned when I was little," Sienna explained, offering Cere and Trilla hot tea from two wooden cups, "I can understand an individual's feelings and general emotional state. I can also pick up on motivations, hidden feelings, and even deeply guarded secrets."

"Like a Miraluka."

Sienna laughed quietly. "You're half right."

A stare from Cere and Trilla.

"My mother..." Sienna sat across from them, crossing her hands. "She was a Miraluka. My father was a human. There were...complications and my mother died when I was born. I was born blind, but I never had much issue with my sight. I can see colors. Shapes. What makes a person what they truly are."

Cere smiled a little. "That's incredible."

"I knew what you were when I stepped into your ship," Sienna continued to explain, "I saw the aura of Jedi and..." She looked briefly to Trilla. "something else. All of your colors swirling, churning together. What makes you, well, you."

Seeing in colors and shapes was an interesting thing and a skill that seemed to develop from her genetic traits as a Miraluka. Still, it didn't quite answer a question that had been on the former Inquisitor's mind.

"How did you do it?" Trilla wanted to know. She couldn't resist. "How did you live knowing these people hated you and your kind? How did you keep yourself from the Empire?"

Sienna blinked a little, her features never wavering. "It was difficult at first." she admitted, "People here are afraid of most newcomers. They didn't take me seriously either - my blindness became a point of mockery to a few. But I proved my worth and made a place here as their healer. I maintained my abilities and kept them from being seen by others."

"And if they knew what you truly were?" Trilla smiled thinly. "Do you think they'd remember the good deeds before knowing of you being a Jedi?"

A low laugh from Sienna. It was like the ringing of little bells. "Oh no! I was never trained in the Jedi way. I had to learn on my own. One of my abilities is Force Shielding. I can hide myself and others. It's how I've managed to survive all these years."

She took a small sip of her drink.

"That and Fang."

Trilla furrowed her brow. "Fang? Who's Fang?"

O

The Jotaz was enormous.

Trilla and Cere stared up at the creature as it crouched there in the grass. It was large, swollen like most of its species. It was black with white back stripes, had long face tentacles that went on passed its chin. Two long, jagged fangs and cold, black eyes.

It was wearing a vest made up of various articles of clothing woven together to fit it.

Sienna smiled and gave the creature a single pat. "It's okay, Fang. They're not my enemies. I was helping them."

Fang looked down at Cere and Trilla, taking one step forward. It made the two take a step back when it snorted, blowing stinking breath in their faces. Then, it turned to Sienna and nudged her once with one of its massive hands. She laughed softly, affectionately, and embraced its arm.

"Yes, good. You're okay." she soothed.

Trilla stared at it, unsure of what to make of such a sight. She didn't like being unsure of anything.

"Alright, go on. I need more wood for the fires tonight. Could you fetch me some, please? I'll have a fresh meal prepared for you when you're done."

The Jotaz thundered away at her request, through crowds of people who scattered to avoid it. Sienna beamed happily and turned to the others.

"You have a Jotaz," Cere said, raising her eyebrows. "That's...interesting."

Sienna chuckled. "Some might say it's a part of my abilities to calm others. But I think it just happened when Fang found me when I was little. After my father died. We've been together ever since. He protects me from those who would try to do me harm."

Trilla was thinking about this whole matter; normally, as an Inquisitor, she would see Sienna as a top target and drag her to the Emperor herself. But she couldn't very well do that now. She would surely be deemed a traitor after the little group had rescued her.

What was she to do now?

Her mind was chaotic, her body weak and her connection with the Force twisted and gnarled like some rotted, dead thing.

It gave her time to contemplate as she remained in the Mantis when the evening closed in, resting against the end of the couch while the Latero prepared another meal. He was humming a song to himself and cutting through the otherwise serene silence.

Trilla's eyes opened and she let out a sigh of irritation. "Mister Greez, do you value silence?"

Greeze looked back at her with a laugh. "Hah! Yeah!"

"Then would you kindly spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase 'Silent as the grave'?"

Greez gulped somewhat and nodded. He resumed cooking his meal in silence.

More air.

She needed more air.

Though Trilla doubted she'd find much of that with a decent smell on this planet. Still, it would be better for everyone if they stayed a little longer.

Her head felt heavy, so she closed her eyes to rest.

O

There was a bonfire and the village had chosen to sit around it, talking and passing around drinks. Trilla and the others were invited to join them as guests.

The air felt a bit chilly that evening and she pulled her hands close together for a little warmth. A few villagers were playing a game of Planetary Poker. One of them noticed her and leaned forward a little, her smile playful.

"Hey, too cold out here for you?" she questioned.

Trilla glanced down at her with a small frown. "I'm fine. Thank you."

"Eh, whatever you say, princess."

Trilla scowled at the mixture of laughter from them. Had she been spoken to like that before, she would levitate them off the floor like little broken dolls and break them.

Cal approached her with Merrin at his side and he looked at her curiously.

"Hey," he said, "How are we doing?"

BD-1 was sitting on his shoulders. Trilla found herself staring at the droid for a moment before glancing at him, tone neutral.

"I'm out of my element, I fear," she admitted. "These people. These...backwater scum. I have no place among them."

Merrin laughed a little, her tone almost mocking. "Are we truly judging these people after they've been so hospitable to us?"

"And if they knew what we truly were, do you think they'd continue to be so kind?"

Cal sighed and nodded. "I know what you're saying," he agreed, "But we have to stay low here for a while until we're sure the Empire's lost track of us. Maybe if we work hard, we can show these people we're not so bad. Right?"

Trilla rolled her eyes with a small, impatient noise. Merrin made a face. She seemed to agree with that sentiment on Trilla's part.

"I doubt you can correct generations of fear and ignorance," Merrin told Cal, "These people are set in their ways. They're doing just fine and so are we. This isn't a permanent place for us. It would risk their safety as well as our own."

"Yeah, maybe you're right." Cal agreed.

Merrin looked him up and down once before she managed a smile. "Still, it is good you wanted to try to help them anyway."

Trilla looked beyond them and spotted Cere sitting next to Sienna. They were talking together and eventually, Fang lumbered over and took a seat behind Sienna; a protective place where he could keep watch over her.

Cal and Merrin joined them and Trilla only stared, unsure if she should take part. It felt strange and out of place. But things had changed so drastically.

Cere looked up at her now and gestured once to the spot they remained, hopeful that she would sit with them.

Trilla hesitated a moment more until she felt something tug at her arm. She looked down and noticed a small human child, eagerly grinning up at her.

"Hey! Sit next to me!" she urged.

Trilla cleared her throat, adjusting her coat a little across her collar. "Um, all right."

She took a seat next to the child and her mother, across from Cere and the others. She watched them through the fire and Cere smiled reassuringly.

This was fine.

Everything was fine.

She noticed fruit sitting there at the fire and reached out to take one. The child tapped her shoulder and shook her head at her.

"Not yet." she whispered.

Trilla nodded and placed it down. "Oh. Of course."

Cere looked up at Fang, who seemed content to rest with closed eyes.

"So, how did you and Fang end up together?" she asked.

Trilla glanced up at Sienna from the tops of her eyes. She was mildly curious all the same.

"Oh!" Sienna laughed quietly. "I was a little girl. No older than five. Fang actually found me when my father lived on Zeffo. He was living there with me after my mother died. He became involved in keeping us safe. But...well," A quiet sigh. "You know..."

Fang rumbled softly, a comfort, perhaps.

Trilla watched the other woman's expressions, studying every little detail and change; a sadness that came and went like lightning.

"My father was attacked in his workshop," Sienna continued, quietly. "I was there and I smelled the blood, heard him plea for me to run. I felt it when he died - I can feel the pain of others and make it my own. I ran into the hills and hid. I was there for a long time, hungry, disoriented by the noises around me. But then Fang came. And I reached out to him."

Fang let out a small grunt, bumping his nose against her.

"He fed me, took care of me and taught me how to see with my hands." Sienna explained, with a warm laugh as she leaned against the creature, "It was only later that I'd learned he'd been exiled by his own kind - taken down by a greater Alpha. He was lost, like me. And we found one another and have been inseperable ever since."

What a charming idea, Trilla had thought. To find camaraderie in hell.

If only she'd been so lucky in her own hell.


	3. People Like Us

~O~

_"Don't look. Don't look. Don't look."_

_Trilla's eyes opened._

_She was at the Fortress Inquisitorius, alone in the grand corridors that led to That place. She knew where it would go..._

_The corridors seemed to shift and stretch far out of reach. Trilla continued to walk, shaking, looking around at the shadows of her past._

_"Let's say we start that test?"_

_"The test subject is still conscious, you can't expect me to..."_

_"Yes. That's the point of torture, right? These are Jedi. We have to make sure they understand, right? It's what he wants. Now get started or you'll end up on that table, too."_

_"Commencing first phase of testing on subject two. Subject name: Trilla Suduri."_

_The screams came._

_Her screams._

_"Don't look!"_

Trilla's eyes snapped open with a strained gasp.

She was lying in the spare bed of the Mantis, struggling to breathe and calm the shaking in her body. Sweat soaked her chest and face. She could barely recognize her own voice as she whimpered, taking a moment to collect herself.

She found Cere in the kitchen with Greez; he must have cooking something again as the air smelled more sweeter than before. Something clearly with meat. He seemed to have a pechant for those sorts of things.

Cere looked over at her when she saw movement at the doorway. A smile touched her lips.

"Good morning." she said. "Are you hungry? I managed to convince Greez to give me a chance at it."

Trilla sighed, rubbing her face with one hand. "At what?"

"Cooking."

At that, a grin lit Trilla's lips. "You? Well then, by all means burn the ship to the ground."

Greez grinned up at an affronted Cere. "Oh? Is this a story I want to sit down for?"

"No." Cere said, dryly.

"If you so feel inclined," Trilla replied, with a thin smirk in her former Master's direction. "Cere attempted to cook for us once - me and a few of the Younglings. Well, let's just say the domestic art eluded her and she had to explain to several of the Jedi Masters why a part of the temple was burning."

Greez crowed with laughter and Cere looked embarrassed. She chuckled good-naturedly now and shook her head, resuming her attention on the food.

"Alright. I may have forgotten about the stewed bhillen because a Youngling decided to use a priceless relic as a kickball."

"Excuses, Cere."

Trilla laughed a bit. But the memories suddenly felt bitter, darkening her once more. She looked toward Cere and her smile was cold now.

"Do you really think reminiscing about old times will change anything?" she said, tone darkening. The shadows danced around her voice, tinging it with the old hate.

Cere paused in her work. Greez looked worriedly between the two.

A sigh from the older woman. "No. I don't."

Trilla smiled with satisfaction now.

"But..." Cere turned to her and walked over, speaking carefully. "You're here now and you're alive. I know things haven't been easy, but I want to spend time fixing what I broke. And if that takes the rest of my life, so be it."

Trilla's coldness melted away only a degree. She looked away with a small, uncomfortable note.

It was a good thought, really.

She had said the words at the interrogation room. She had obviously meant every last one them. Trilla could see that her heart was true.

But her mind constantly hissed words in her ears. Hateful ones.

"Have you been having bad dreams?" Cere questioned, after a moment of hesitation. "I've heard you a few times in the middle of the night."

Trilla didn't respond at first, but after a while, nodded once.

"My...connection with the Force, it's..." Trilla showed her teeth with a sound of frustration. "It's twisted. I can reach it, but it rebukes me. Surely in time I thought it would...be better."

Cere made a thoughtful sound now. She broke her gaze from Trilla and looked up at Greez. "When Cal and Merrin come back, tell them we saw Sienna."

Greez nodded. He was still uncomfortable about the exchange earlier. "Hey, you got it."

Cere stood up and Trilla eventually followed.

"The healer did what she could," Trilla argued, with dismay, "I don't understand why you feel she can do more for me."

"Because," Cere told her, firmly, "How many Jedi are left? How many exist who can still use the Force?"

Trilla smiled bitingly. "Because of me?"

"No!" Cere frowned at her. Such a blatant denial it was. "It wasn't all just because of you. We need to help each other. We need to stick together."

Trilla let out a caustic laugh and shrugged her shoulders.

How funny that she once said the same thing.

O

Fang reached up to the highest point of the tree, taking a piece of fruit in his massive claws. Sienna waited until he lowered it down to her for her to take a bite out of. She smiled up at him after a few moments of chewing her food before giving his side a pat.

"Thank you, Fang." she said.

They returned to the small hut where Cere and Trilla were waiting. Sienna blinked a little, surprised when she sensed them there.

"Oh! It's you." she said. "I didn't expect you here."

"We're hoping you'd like to talk," Cere offered.

"Oh?" Sienna frowned curiously. "About?"

Trilla gestured to Cere. "She believes you can still help me."

Sienna tilted her head now. "Oh. I see." She cleared her throat and made her way up to them. "Well, the physical part of you dances between sickness and life. I see it now in the colors of your aura."

Trilla blinked at her, watching the woman scrutinize her down to her core without even a single touch. There was an intensity to her expressions even when she was blind.

"But this is not something I can heal entirely," Sienna continued, with a sympathetic look now, "This is something you must do on your own. Your pain lies deep, twisted and gnarled like a weed." She made gestures with her hands. "I merely tended to the surface. But the roots of it must be pulled by your own hand."

Trilla sighed and frowned at Cere. "I told you."

Sienna started to apologize until someone made their way into the hut - a young boy.

"Miss Sienna!" he exclaimed, "Mercenaries are here! They're looking for someone."

Sienna frowned and the two with her looked at each other. They knew exactly what they were doing here and why.

"Bounty hunters?" Sienna questioned.

"I saw a bounty puck one of them put on the table," the boy explained, with a nod, "He's a big Iridonian guy and the other's a Corellian. They're asking a lot of questions."

Sienna nodded her head. "Okay. Thank you, Meeko. Go mind your parents, alright? I'll be fine. I promise."

He quickly made his way out of the hut. Sienna gestured to the two. "They're here for you. They must be." she told them. "You have to hide."

"Hide?" Trilla snapped. "You must be joking. I can deal with them and we will be done with it."

"Please." Sienna looked pleading now. "I don't deny your strength is worthy enough, but you can't cause problems with them. If so, then that will only confirm your identity and you won't be safe. Just hide for me, please."

Cere nodded in agreement. "Where do you want us to hide?" she asked.

Sienna made her way around the shelf, counting her steps under her breath. She stopped after she reached 'Ten' and knocked her heel into the wood. Trilla and Cere glanced down when they heard the hollow sound below.

A storage space. Of course.

Trilla's mind began to race faster. She watched Cere open a small hatch beneath a fur rug and make her way down several stairs. She started to join her, but looked up at Sienna with a frown.

"This is ridiculous," she argued, "I can handle - "

"Yes, I know. Now hide." Sienna interrupted, pushing the palm of her hand against the crown of Trilla's head.

She closed the hatch and tucked the rug over it with a broad sweep of her heel. It wasn't long until Trilla and Cere made out the sounds of heavy footsteps entering the hut. Trilla could see through a crack in the floor; Sienna's expressions were neutral and calmer than she would have expected. But she was beginning to see that the other woman was skilled in her way.

"Good morning," a male voice said - middle aged, scratchy and rough. "Nice place. It smells like my grandmother's bathroom at home."

A short laugh from Sienna. "Thank you."

Cere looked at Trilla and saw the frustration, the impatience. She mouthed 'it's okay' to her. Trilla thinned her lips, feeling her body tense. She didn't like this. She didn't want to be stuck down here, trapped with nothing else to do but wait. She could deal with the hunters, even with her connection to the Force twisted up. They were nothing.

"So, we're going around and talking," another male voice. It was deeper in pitch and much older. "We're looking for a bounty we think stopped here."

"Oh?" Sienna's voice remained neutral.

"Yeah. Imperial traitor." the other bounty hunter said, "Have you seen her?"

Sienna laughed a little. "You're asking me, a blind woman, if I've seen Imperial traitors around here?"

"Oh! Oh, you ARE blind. I'm sorry. I didn't notice."

"Most don't..." Sienna's tone was dry, but still light with humor.

Trilla observed her from the hole in the floor; a calm stance, hands clasped together. There was a twisting in the air, a tenseness that she could not shake. But still, amidst it all, Sienna remained placid. She'd probably dealt with this sort of thing before.

"Well, here's the thing," the Corellian told her, leaning against the counter top. "We KNOW she's been here. She's got quite a price on her head. And if you don't tell us where she is, we're going to have to get nasty. I don't think you want that, do you? I mean, you have too nice of a shop here."

Sienna's smile disappeared somewhat. "I wouldn't do that."

The two hunter laughed now, looking briefly at each other. Trilla pursed her lips, feeling her shoulders prickling with anger. Her fingers itched to reach down their throats and choke them to death.

"And why wouldn't we be wanting to do that?" the Iridonian sneered.

"You'll upset Fang."

"And who's fang? Your little Loth-cat?"

Sienna smiled now.

Outside the hut, a low, rattling snarl filled the air. The two mercenaries looked up at the shadow looming outside of the hut. They pointed their blasters, but an enormous hand punched through the wall - Fang's claws. The Iridonian screamed as he was seized and yanked through the wall. The Corellian looked around frantically before racing outside to help his friend.

Sienna smiled calmly and looked down at the hatch where Trilla and Cere stepped out. "It's so disappointing being underestimated because you're blind."

Trilla tilted her head, listening to the sounds of Fang doing what could have only been beating the mercenaries into the dirt. She made an impressed note.

"Your pet's brutality is commendable," she said.

They stepped outside and several people had gathered among what remained of the broken bodies of the mercenaries. Fang was looming over them, teeth displayed and black eyes flaring. His chest was heaving, arms tense and shoulders high.

"Oh! Fang got them..." someone whispered.

Sienna reached up with two hands and touched Fang's massive lower jaw. "Thank you for keeping me safe, Fang."

Trilla noticed the people didn't seem concerned much by the brutal death of the two mercenaries. But she was thinking of it herself; the Empire had a bounty placed on her head? That had been quick, but not surprising, either. She had been saved and deemed a traitor.

Of course, I was.

She noticed the bounty puck lying in the grass. Bending down, she retrieved it and studied the little device in her hand.

Well, it was only a matter of time, really.

O

Fang was sitting outside of the ship that night.

Cere studied the holographic image of Trilla's features from the bounty puck, displaying the bounty amount as well. Sienna was sitting on the floor in front of Trilla, raising her hands in front of her, palms up. Trilla looked down at them before frowning at her, reacting out to rest her fingers across her hands.

"How much is the bounty?" Sienna questioned.

"A lot." Cere said, hesitantly.

Trilla gave a short laugh in response. "They certainly spared nothing."

"Bounty hunters have visited this place many times," Sienna told them, "But we do not give them what they want. This planet has friends. Family. We don't surrender them to anyone."

Cal was certainly pleased with Sienna's words. It made Trilla roll her eyes and resume her focus on Sienna. She could hear Greez preparing supper and noticed BD-1 had made its way over to them. She grunted, pulling her hands from Sienna's for a moment to eye the little droid with irritation when it took a seat in her lap.

Cal laughed a little and took a seat on the floor beside them. Eventually, Cere joined in and Merrin sat at the couch above them, crossing her legs. Sienna looked up at her briefly before smiling.

"It's an honor meeting a Nightsister," she said, "Your aura is...lovely. I have only heard stories of your people from my father. He was always curious about the Force and how it affected others. We would have one day visited your planet."

Merrin nodded, a little smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "I appreciate your words. Perhaps I can teach you some day."

Sienna looked happy to hear that. She returned her focus to Trilla. "I have heard of your nightmares. How often have you been having them?"

Trilla ignored the stares from the others. She felt her spine prickling; the scar felt as if it itched thinking about that Dark Place. But if this healer could help her, perhaps she should be more forthcoming. She didn't like it much.

"Since I've awoken."

Sienna exhaled through her nose. "Yes. I see. Would you like to talk about them? I can learn more and help you better."

Trilla's eyes were distant as her mind wandered back to those memories. She gave a small, short laugh and glanced down at the floor.

"There were people in the Empire, you know. People like you," she said, "People who liked to help."

Sienna tilted her head, took her hands in hers. Trilla started slightly at the contact, drifting back to the reality she was in. She wasn't there. She wasn't in the torture chair. She wasn't back at that Dark Place with Him. But her body still trembled as she thought of it. The air clenched and grew heavy - her contact with the Force reacted once more to her discomfort.

"Tell me about them." Sienna offered.

Trilla murmured quietly. She raised her eyebrows as she did, in fact, talk about it.

"The Jedi were victims of horrendous torture," she began, "But a Jedi sympathizer? Well, that was much, much worse."

[Several years ago]

_Trilla could hear the cries behind the wall._

_She laid there on the cold floor of her cell, holding herself as she struggled for some semblance of warmth._

"Sometimes, they starved us. A starved Jedi would say and do anything, really. I've seen grown men reduced to madness all for a little bit of stale bread."

_Trilla blinked hard, black fireworks exploding in her eyes. She was exhausted, in such agony from her tormentors. She could barely breathe without hot fire filling her lungs. The cuffs they bound their arms and legs with subdued them from the Force._

_A Jedi Knight was beating against the wall opposite her cell. Each blow of his fist against the metal throbbed her head. She peered through her frayed locks of hair, snarling with effort._

_"Look at me!" the Knight was screaming, devolving into small sobs, "Look at me! I'll talk! I'll talk! Look at me!"_

_Trilla struggled to her feet, listening to the ghostly, horrible noises of prisoners around her, above her. Below her._

_Trilla's features were blank of emotion, but the others were attuned to her story. Cere didn't seem as if she wanted to listen. She knew, though. She knew the horrors of the torture that the Empire had subjected them to._

_She was being dragged back to her cell, body broken from the torture once more. The two troopers carrying her were impatient. She was tired._

_Thrown into the cell once more, Trilla's body hit the floor. Lancing pain shot up her shoulder, but she barely noticed it much._

_Cere would come for her. She had to._

"There were people among them who sought to help," Trilla continued, with a thin smile, "Such a funny twist of fate that my sympathizer would be my torturer."

_The cell's electric grid was deactivated. Trilla lifted her eyes, shaking. She felt hands beneath her neck and shoulders, lifting her._

_"Here...drink this."_

_Trilla felt the rim of a cup at her lips and she trembled, reaching up with weak hands to hold the cup, drinking its contents down hurriedly. It was cooling to her dry throat, giving her a little bit of life._

_"Good. I'm sorry. You don't deserve this..."_

"I didn't blame her. I was naïve and thought an ounce of kindness might save me, even when I gave them nothing and suffered. A pity it didn't work that way. These things never do."

_The cell was open once more._

_Trilla looked up, gasping when the doctor returned, helping her to her feet. It was routine that she would be taken again, to that chair and subjected to torment._

_"Come on!" the doctor whispered, unbinding her shackles, "I'm getting you out!"_

_Trilla stood up, struggling to find balance. She leaned against the doctor, looking at her with confusion._

_"What? How..." she began._

_"No time. Can you walk?"_

_Trilla nodded her head. "I-I think so."_

_"Hurry!" The doctor helped her by draping her arm across her shoulder._

_Trilla had no idea what they would do; they were in a heavy guarded facility and her body was weak from the physical and mental torture from the Empire. She couldn't find her Master or the Younglings she'd fought for._

"It was strange that I would have found someone in this terrible place to help," Trilla continued, with a small sigh, "But I didn't apologize or give in. All that mattered was my survival. All I wanted to do was live so that I could find hope again. I would never let them take that from me."

Silence from those watching. Cal lowered his eyes.

Trilla's tone was cold now as a bitter grin lit her lips. "I was so very foolish, wasn't I?"

"No." Cal interrupted, "You were right to try."

_Trilla and the doctor ran across the pristine, metal floors of the corridor._

_"Hurry! Keep moving!" the doctor gasped._

_Several stormtroopers were standing on the other end of the corridor, armed with their blasters. The doctor hissed out a curse and guided Trilla down another path. The young Padawan was exhausted from running, but she fought through it. She was spurred on to live and escape._

_The doctor was shooting from a smaller blaster at her side, but Trilla barely heard it over the roar in her ears._

_"Okay, there's a ship in the docks," the doctor whispered to her, "High tech. State of the art. It's my ship. Take it and get out!"_

_Trilla let out a weak sound, looking at her with confusion and pain. "Why are you doing this?"_

_The doctor looked at her desperately. "I can't do it anymore. I can't. I have to change. WE have to change."_

_She turned the corner, but the sound of a lightsaber activating froze her a second too late._

_A red flash of light pierced her through her midsection. It made Trilla scream, hand going to her mouth._

_He stood there, holding the lightsaber in hand. His breathing echoed all around them, red optics from his mask glinting menacingly._

_The doctor was frozen, jaw slacked with pain. She let out several short, agonized breaths, clutching feebly at the gloved hands that held the lightsaber._

_"Pitiful." the deep voice from the mask hissed._

_The beam of light vanished and the doctor collapsed to the floor with a single, dying groan. Trilla looked down at her with horror, shuddering gasps escaping her lips._

_A pull. She was suddenly choking._

_Hands at her own throat as the Force from his outreaching hand levitated her an inch off the floor; she couldn't breathe. She was helpless at his mercy._

_"Another traitor falls," He said, with a smile in his voice. Malicious. Terrifying. "She will soon join your beloved Master. After all, how could we have found you?"_

_Trilla choked, struggling weakly against his power. Her jaw clenched now, tears filling her eyes. She let out a low, enraged sob as the feeling of betrayal struck her more than any blow._

Trilla stared impassively at the floor. "I was returned to the cell. My torture increased tenfold. But I think that wasn't what finally broke me."

She looked toward Cere, watching the guilt fester there.

"In the end, it was my hate that became my only companion in that hell." Trilla said.

_Trilla screamed._

_She punched the walls of her cell, she clutched her head. She paced back and forth as she screamed, the air buckling with her hate and rage. She broke her knuckles, her blistered feet._

"People like us? They didn't survive." Trilla continued, with a heavy sigh, "The Jedi died. The world I knew burned and I became something else."

Sienna watched her silently, features filled with sympathy and pain. She reached down, took Trilla's hand in hers and covered it with her other.

"A part of you lived, though," she assured her, "That part is little and maybe broken, but it's still good. And it still exists."

Trilla looked at her, took a deep breath. She felt her connection to the Force relaxing somewhat. It must have been the healer's powers, surely.

"Are you sure?" she questioned, with a caustic laugh.

"Yes. There's a deeper pain there. Stabbing, pushed away by your own hand." Sienna continued, "When you're ready to face that, you will not be alone this time."

Perhaps that was true.

Perhaps it was even charming to think about.

But Trilla's mind was elsewhere now; she could hear that whisper, that plea.

_Don't look._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title was inspired by the song "People Like Us" by Kelly Clarkson.


	4. Discord on Sorgan

~O~

It was a good morning on Sorgan.

Sienna was standing in the field, feeling the sun on her face. She was smiling and happy, sitting in morning glow.

And there was Trilla, swathed in shadow.

The Force was there, teasing the edges of her fingertips as she held her hands up. Sienna mirrored her and they held the tips of their fingers together. The Force was there with them, Trilla could feel it and reached with her mind to grasp that feeling again. The air was nice, the sounds around her calming. The Dark Feeling was gone for now as they just talked about simple things.

"...And I'm amazed they haven't fought anyone."

Sienna was in the middle of a story - about boorish men in the krill farm.

"I tend not to get involved in the affairs of men," Trilla replied, with a small sound of disgust, "As amusing as the petty squabbles be."

A small laugh from Sienna. She could agree with that.

Trilla studied her for a moment and tilted her head. "Did it ever bother you?"

"Hm? What?"

"The blindness. The whispers from them."

A small chuckle from Sienna. She shook her head. "Well, it was difficult at first." she said. "The people here are distrusting as you know. And they tend to judge by appearance before skill. I stopped considering it a weakness and just made it a part of myself. Just as you do. I still see the world around me in colors as they are meant to be seen."

Trilla made a thoughtful note. Truly, she didn't see it. Miraluka's were unique in their lack of eyes, but special skills to see in ways others couldn't. But Sienna was half-Miraluka and no doubt different in her own way.

Cere watched them from a nearby tree, leaning against it. She was happy to see Trilla there, speaking to Sienna. She hoped that it meant Trilla could be helped.

Cal approached her, BD-1 perched on his shoulder.

"So..." he said. "What do you think?"

Cere sighed through her nose, watching the two before glancing at Cal. "I think it's good." she told him. "A little bit each day helps her."

"You're right," Cal agreed. "We need to try. It's hard, though, for everybody. But even after everything, I'm glad we found this place."

Cere nodded. She kept her focus on Trilla and Sienna. "Yeah..."

Sienna levitated a small pebble in front of her before holding it up to Trilla. She guided it toward the other woman with the Force and Trilla reached up, delicately taking it and levitating it in her hand. Sienna smiled and Trilla gave her a half-smile in response.

"This used to relax me when I was little," Sienna explained, "The constant rhythm distracted me from my thoughts. I thought this might help you, too."

"I feel ridiculous." Trilla complained.

Sienna wasn't offended by the remark. Instead, she tilted her head as they continued to move the pebble back and forth between them.

"Yes, I can feel your energy. You're annoyed."

A small note of confirmation.

"But are you relaxed?"

Trilla sighed, but shrugged her shoulders once. Well, perhaps she hadn't felt as tense as she had before. The constant back and forth motion, the coaxing of the Force between them. It wasn't so bad, actually.

"Perhaps." Trilla admitted.

O

The group sat together around a table for lunch outside of the common house.

Fang had chosen to rest nearby with BD-1 while he consumed a large bowl of krill. BD-1 scanned them once and the large creature rumbled with irritation down at it.

Spotchka was poured around the table. Greez took a long drink and huffed once before smiling his approval.

"Wow! You guys know how to make a good brew, I'll give you that." he said.

Cere looked at Sienna. "It was nice of you to invite us for lunch."

"Of course! I wasn't quite sure how long you intended to stay, so I thought you'd enjoy some local cuisine before you left," Sienna said, "You can't leave Sorgan without trying the krill."

Trilla stared at the bright blue krill sitting in her bowl, steaming, freshly cooked. She delicately plucked one between her fingers and studied it. She'd eaten things like this before, but it felt strange returning to such a simple time. She was out of place, even when she was safe. It was something that passed her thoughts so quickly - did she really feel incapable of connecting with them after spending so long among the Empire?

The day went on as usual and Trilla spent time in the Mantis contemplating her next move. What would she do now? Spend her days traveling with them? Would they always be running?

But her mind scratched at the edges, tense. She was unfocused.

She could still see Him.

"Trilla." Cere stepped into the ship, noticing her sitting alone, practicing levitating a stone. "Oh..."

Trilla glanced up at her, tone impassive. "I've been coaxing my reach with the Force. Sienna has been helpful in that regard. Though her suggestion on how to ease my mind was most...simplistic."

Cere chuckled, taking a seat nearby. "Has it been helping?"

"Oh, yes. In a way."

Trilla was focused for the first time in days since she'd awoken. But her mind still itched with that distant shadow.

"Having someone else here who wields the Force..." Cere said, her eyes distant, "It's a reminder that we aren't completely gone."

Trilla felt her throat catch. She swallowed thickly. Such ridiculous emotion shouldn't have come to her when it came to the Jedi. So why now?

"Maybe we will see in time."

O

_"You have failed me, Inquisitor."_

_A cutting into flesh. A dying scream._

_Trilla was standing in the black void, surrounded by noises moments before she'd 'died'. Below her was a pool of shimmering water. Constant whispers around her._

_"Don't look..."_

_Trilla sensed a presence behind her and she turned, facing a reflection of herself. Though this image wore her Inquisition attire, standing there with a smirk on her face._

_"What's wrong, Second Sister?" the reflection hissed, in a deeper, synthesized version of her voice, "Get a little lost?"_

_Trilla heard the heavy breathing._

_He was coming._

Trilla was awoken by Greez shaking her shoulder. "Hey...HEY!" he hissed, frantic. "Wake up! We got a problem!"

The sounds of heavy blaster fire outside jolted Trilla out of bed. She rushed out of the ship and found Cal, Merrin and Cere hidden behind an overturned tree.

Cere was taking shots into the trees and Trilla looked up sharply, stunned to see signs of Imperial Forces making their way toward them.

She could smell blood.

Why did she smell blood?

"Trilla!" Cal shouted, over the roar of battle. "We have to help the village!"

Trilla looked up at the sounds of screams from the people. Her mind immediately went to Sienna.

A blast from a weapon nearly took her head off, clipping the ship and sending a loud ringing that dazed her. Her ears hummed loudly, she swayed and Merrin was immediately at her side, yanking her to the cold, wet earth.

"You need to stay down!" Merrin ordered.

"Yes, Nightsister!" Trilla snapped at her, spitting out bits of mud that had unfortunately found its way into her mouth from the fall, "The obvious eluded me!"

Cal peered over the edge of the tree. "Who is it?"

Trilla squinted over the tree as well. She studied the troopers and noticed an interesting mark on their pauldrons. She furrowed her brow, remembering the signet from a long time ago. The day had come when she'd seen a shamed Moff leave the Empire with a legion of his own stormtroopers.

The Barghest.

"It's Moff Riguel Grus," she told them, "What an opportunistic old man, finding his way here to earn the Emperor's favor. He must have heard of us hiding out here and sent his troops to do his dirty work. Perhaps he even enlisted those bounty hunters to come find me."

Cere nodded in agreement. "We were here too long. We need to help these people and move on."

"Right." Cal said. "I'll go into the village. Merrin, I need you to give me cover. Cere? Trilla? See if you can stick to the shadows and find who you can! Get them to safety."

Trilla would have remarked on his ability to lead, perhaps called out on his lacking of military skills. But tonight was going to be long and Moff Riguel was not one to be underestimated; he was seeking redemption for his failures in the Empire. And taking her in would be a good start.

If she allowed him to do so.

Cere offered her her lightsaber and Trilla sensed its call. She could feel the whispers of that dark place, hear the intoxicating hatred she once burdened herself with.

Cere knew what she was thinking. "I know." she said, softly. "But we need all the strength we can to save them."

Trilla felt a clench in her chest.

Don't look.

"No," she whispered, unable to hide the tremble in her voice, "I don't need it."

She rose, seized a spear that had been tossed to the dirt and raced into the chaos.

"Trilla!" Cere shouted, after her.

O

Sienna was running.

She could dispatch the Assassin Droid giving chase with ease. She could use the Force to crush it's central processor with one clench of her fist. But first, she had to get away; she had to lead it away from the people. They couldn't be hurt for any reason.

She quickly scattered from the blaster fire and climbed into a ruined ship covered in moss and vines.

The Assassin Droid spoke as it clawed through the plants to reach her. Its voice was deep, frightening and heavily synthetic.

"You're only making this worse for yourself." it said, maliciously.

Sienna didn't know where Fang was, but this droid would likely kill him and she didn't want that to happen. She could only retreat back into the ship as far as she could as the droid pried the cockpit off, leering down at her with that bright red optic.

She raised her hand. It would be easy -

Above the droid, Trilla suddenly appeared; she jumped into the air, spun with the spear in hand and impaled it through the head. Sparks went flying and the droid backed away with a series of metallic groans.

Sienna looked around frantically. "Who's that?"

"It's me!" Trilla hissed, taking her hand. "Are you alright?"

Sienna smiled with relief, nodding as she was helped out of the ship. The two women ran to reach the village and Sienna suddenly froze, looking around, disoriented. Trilla looked at her now, watching the way her features twisted, a fear in her expression.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Too much..." Sienna moaned, shaking her head sharply as she struggled to find focus, "Too much noise. It's hard to focus on the colors. They're jagged and sharp, blending into each other like - "

"Then keep hold of my hand," Trilla interrupted, "Until the noise is gone, I'll have to guide you."

Sienna nodded her head.

They continued on and Trilla felt the Force radiating from Sienna - the confusion. It itched at her own, scratching like a terrified womp rat behind the cage. But her mind did not yield to fear as she had believed. She was used to this. She was just lost.

Several stormtroopers suddenly stepped through the brush, aiming their blasters at the two. Trilla's eyes scanned them - ten. She could easily dispatch them. It would be so simple to break them down as she'd done many times before.

"Surrender now," one of the troopers commanded, weapon aimed at Trilla, "Moff Grus has the village rounded up. There's no escape."

Trilla studied each trooper, scanning for any available out. Sheer numbers didn't concern her; she had faced many enemies in numbers who believed themselves at an advantage.

Even so, she was on the opposite side, now, looking into the shadows when once she danced with them.

"You're right. There IS no escape." Trilla whispered, tone filled with that chilling bite.

She held one hand up. But before she could do anything, Fang surged through the trees with a thunderous roar.

Trilla and Sienna were stunned, listening to Fang snarl loudly. The creature seized one of the troopers, throwing him screaming into the crowd of others. Sienna smiled with relief.

"Fang!" she cried, "You're okay!"

A trooper screamed and they ducked as he was thrown violently over their heads and into a tree. The chaos that ensued didn't last; Fang took out the troopers with ease. Trilla could only watch with amusement. She let out a short laugh.

"Well, look at that," she said, "Marvelous timing on this one."

Fang tore mercilessly into the troopers; he tossed them through the air, broke their bodies over trees. No one was spared from his assault. When the dust settled, the troopers were laying dead in heaps around them.

"Fang!" Sienna cried, overjoyed.

The creature looked up with a low snort and she reached up when he approached.

Sienna's hands gently touched his face and Fang let out a few soft grunting sounds. Soothing, perhaps. Trilla could only watch in silence. She didn't know how long it would be fine for them to remain here in the open.

"Let's go. We need to help the village." she told Trilla.

The other woman was uncertain, but nodded. "Very well."

Fang lowered himself to the ground so that Sienna could climb onto his back. He made his way toward the village with Trilla following behind them. Something had changed in the Force; her hold was stronger now and she could feel it in her fingertips.

It ached.

A child was screaming and Trilla was frozen so suddenly where she stood. She saw the little one kneeling behind a hut, face red and tears streaming down her cheeks. An AT-ST was stomping toward the sound and she blinked rapidly, an image of a Youngling she had been responsible replaced with the child now. The crying Rodian boy...

A stormtrooper was there now, gun aimed at the child and a mother who had joined, begging for mercy.

Before he could do anything else, he was suddenly stiffening, dropping his weapon to the ground. The family looked stunned as he was lifted a few inches into the air, clutching uselessly at his throat. They looked over and found Trilla with her hand raised, features a mask of effort.

"Jedi!" the little girl cried. "She's a Jedi!"

The terror on their faces went unnoticed by Trilla for a few moments. She tilted her head, focused on the wriggling trooper and studying him like a vicious predator. She smirked and threw him into the air; he was screaming as he soared, striking a nearby group of advancing troopers.

"Trilla!" Sienna cried, immediately freezing at the sound of the screams.

Fang rushed back, but the AT-ST turned to him and aimed its cannons, firing them directly at the creature.

O

Sienna was sent flying through the air and hitting the ground, hard. She immediately staggered to her feet, looked around sharply. Trilla was at her side, taking her arm.

"Now! We must move!" she ordered.

A low, bellowing noise of pain froze Sienna where she stood. Her voice sounded small, frightened.

"Fang?"

Trilla saw the creature lying in the grass, heard the unsettled whispers around her from the villagers. Some looked with scorn to them, others terror. It had happened as she expected it to happen. Nothing else would change.

Sienna's features twisted. "Blood... Why do I smell his blood?"

Blood pooled beneath Fang's body. Sienna approached slowly, arms reaching out. Her lower lip trembled and she knelt down to the creature. Trilla looked away, swallowing thickly. The energy radiating from Sienna hurt her chest, filling it with the same pain as she felt. She had to fight it.

"Fang?" Sienna whispered, holding his lower jaw, stroking his forehead with delicate fingers.

Fang rumbled weakly, eyes slowly starting to close.

Trilla shook her head. "Sienna, we will rejoin the others. Your pet cannot be spared." she told her. "You will have the chance at revenge, but not if you stay here."

"Please, just...a moment." Sienna pleaded, her voice trembling with emotion.

Trilla didn't understand the point, but she lingered anyway. She didn't know why.

Sienna leaned closer, whispering to Fang. "Thank you."

A benediction. Graditude for keeping her safe. Trilla could understand now what it meant for her to stay and its importance.

Of course. He had been her only friend.

Sentimentality was beyond her. She hadn't felt a need for it in so long.

"Sienna." she reminded her.

Sienna nodded her head, tearfully smiling. "Of course! Let's go help the others."

Before they could go, they noticed the AT-ST advancing. The two women froze, watching as it powered up its cannons, aimed right in their direction. And Trilla had no lightsaber to defend herself or Sienna against the attack.

She could freeze the vehicle, but they were looking.

It distracted her.

The cannons were fired and immediately, Sienna's hands were up.

They struck a barrier she projected around herself and Trilla, extinguished immediately. Trilla looked at her, smiling her approval.

Sienna pursed her lips with effort, forcing the barrier back with a shout. It collided with the AT-ST, sending it crashing to the ground in a flurry of metal and sparks. The pilot had fallen out of the machine a few seconds later, bleeding and broken.

Trilla turned to Sienna. "Barrier projection, of course. That would be useful."

"Thank you." Sienna said, with a half-smile.

She turned to Fang now, her eyes brimming. "I want to bury him."

Trilla opened her mouth to retort, but the villagers were approaching and she knew what was to come. She could see their looks, sense their distress and disgust. They would forget everything Sienna did for them.

"Jedi! You've been a Jedi this whole time!" a man spat.

Sienna gasped, horror on her face now. She seemed to remember that her whole purpose was to hide it. To keep herself living a semblance of a normal life.

"Wait, please," she pleaded, hands up, "Let me explain!"

But the people backed away, recoiling with horrified cries. Sienna withered at the sounds, shook her head slowly. She was hurt, wounded by the rejection from them.

"I'm no Jedi!" she attempted, "I was never trained in their order. I only wield the Force, but I have never wanted to hurt - "

The wrong thing to say.

One of the villagers threw a pebble at her and it struck her across the forehead. She recoiled with a cry and Trilla glared at them, taking a menacing step forward. She would not allow them to get away with -

"Trilla, don't..." Sienna pleaded, holding her head with one hand. She was in tears. "Please. Just...don't."

Trilla sighed impatiently, rolling her eyes. "Alright."

Sienna should have expected this. She should have known that weak people would never stay loyal for long. That was how things were.

O

Cere and Cal had similar luck in that regard.

When Trilla and Sienna made their way to the ship, the villagers were commanding them to leave, that this was their fault. The Nightsister was calm, though Trilla could sense the fire storming within her. Nightsisters had greater ties to the Force and greater rage. She could certainly create a pool of bloodshed in her wake that rivaled hers.

But they had said nothing and simply departed into the ship. Sienna was ushered inside and Cere tended to her. Greez was already at the pilot seat, his features solemn.

"Nobody ever thanks you, huh?" he said, quietly.

Cere sighed, but nodded. "What could we have done? Let them die to the Empire?"

"Yes." Trilla hissed, pacing now. "They would have earned it. Nothing but snivelling cowards, hiding away in huts blissful in their ignorance!"

Greez was staring up the ship; he thrust one of his arms in the air. "Come on! We're leaving you don't have to toss things at my ship!"

Cere studied Sienna's forehead - the red mark that had spread from the pebble striking her. "It's not so bad." she offered, with a feeble smile. "I'm sorry, I don't have the greatest bedside manner. I'm..."

Sienna shut her eyes with a sigh. "I don't want to impose..." She sounded so tired.

"No, you're one of us now," Cal told her, kneeling down. "Don't worry. We Jedi have to stick together."

Sienna's voice took on a change; a tenseness in her body, a furrow of her brow. "Don't call me a Jedi." she whispered, "I'm not."

The tone was surprising; a few exchanged looks between them, but nothing was said about it.

"I'm...sorry," Sienna said, her tone apologetic. "I just lost my dear friend and the people who showed me such kindness hate me. They didn't even listen to reason. I just... I should have known but I had hoped that all this time, they'd think differently of me."

Cere nodded in agreement. She smiled sympathetically. "I know. It's never easy and it doesn't get easier."

Sienna didn't argue with that.

The trip through space resumed in silence. The others had slept, but Sienna was still sitting on the couch, seemingly meditating when Trilla approached her.

"Here you are," she said, taking a seat beside her, "You couldn't sleep."

"And you couldn't either, I take it?" Sienna asked, quietly.

A short laugh from Trilla. "No. You know why."

Sienna didn't laugh, but nodded once. "Yes. Your nightmares. A part of your struggling connection with the Force." she replied, seemingly needing a distraction, "There's still jagged edges cutting into the colors. But you were focused when you saved me."

Trilla furrowed her brow. "Meaning...?"

"You're still good, even if you don't think you can be."

Trilla didn't know what to feel about that. Such an assumption would have had her mocking her, laughing at her and teaching her a lesson or two. She had certainly done more for less. But her head was filled with doubts and thoughts regarding Moff Grus who would pursue them further. It was his way to hunt what he wanted.

"I hid who I was out of fear," Sienna continued, sadly, "My dear friend died and I didn't even get to bury him. I was a fool."

Trilla murmured in agreement. "Perhaps."

A little chuckle from Sienna.

"What do we do now?" she questioned, "Do I stay or will you drop me off elsewhere?"

Trilla had no answer.

She did not know where this trip would take them. Or how many horrors they would witness as they attempted to survive.


	5. A Test of Faith

~O~

_Trilla walked down the corridors of the Fortress._

_She was strong, confident as she held her helmet underneath her arm. Behind her, two purge troopers dragged a helpless Twi'lek by the robe collar. They were bleeding, moaning and battered from fighting her._

_It hadn't been a long fight, as she remembered. The Jedi had hidden himself well, but she carved herself a path from the ship and yanked him out by his leg._

_"Take him." she said, calmly._

_"Yes, Second Sister." one of the troopers replied._

_Trilla smiled, letting out a sigh as she savored the sight. She started down another hall, but the doors roared shut in front of her._

_Confused, Trilla turned to another door, but it roared shut as well._

_The lights in the corridors flickered several times before burning out completely, casting her in darkness._

_Trilla could hear herself breathing heavily now._

_She felt that icy stab of fear at the back of her neck._

_Red lights lit up the length of the corridor now and she felt herself pulled to follow them. The air around her was heavier, there was a chill that followed._

_"Don't look..."_

_The voice came from her somewhere._

_Trilla's eyes filled slightly, the mask of maliciousness gone and replaced with fear. She felt it then; she felt that change in her heart that came with the terror of the unknown._

_Of being watched._

_The door led her into the interrogation chamber and she froze when the shadows molded, twisted once more._

_Something was walking toward her._

_"No one's here for you, Trilla. You have no friends, no family to save you."_

_Trilla looked around, breathless and shaking._

_"How long will you continue to fight the Dark?" the voice crooned, synthetic and deep, "You're tired. Don't you want to rest?"_

_Memories came then, of her strapped to the table. Tortured every waking hour._

_Over and over._

_Trilla blinked, eyes widening when she saw a version of herself stepping out of the shadows; golden eyes glowing, discolored veins around her cheeks. Long, terrible nails. Her uniform was perfect and not a single thread was out of place._

_But she looked terrifying._

_A monster._

_"But we will not abandon you," the Dark Version said, with a seductive purr, "We could not exist without you."_

_"Don't look!"_

Trilla awoke to a thump on her forehead.

She jolted with an angry hiss, looking up at the Nightsister who stood over her with a curious smile. She glared up at the woman, glanced down at the sheets she'd unfortunately wrinkled around her in a rather ungraceful manner.

"Did you just thump my head?" she snapped.

Merrin gestured briefly behind her. "We're waiting for you. We arrived at Tatooine and we need supplies." she said. A brief pause. "You are aware that you snore loudly, right?"

"And you are aware that you can't just wake people the way you just did, right?"

Merrin tilted her head before thumping Trilla once more. She smirked when the other woman recoiled with another angry sound.

"I suppose I can." she told her.

She wandered off, leaving Trilla there to try and fathom the level of disrespect she had just received. Her first instinct was to take the petulant woman back and teach her some manners. But her mind immediately went to other matters of grave importance.

Such as Moff Grus. He was clearly pursuing them - specifically her.

Her clothes smelled terrible from the fight, but she did have a few extra shirts and trousers that would do for now. Perhaps visiting the port would have something better, even if it didn't compare to the Imperial uniforms.

Her mouth also tasted awful and she grimaced, smacking her lips a few times. That was foul.

The others were, in fact, waiting for her by the holotable, studying the digital readout of the planet they had chosen to escape to, for the moment. Trilla immediately recognized it at Tatooine. She'd been here before when she had tracked a Jedi and killed him in the center square of Mos Eisley.

The memory made her smile a little. She couldn't help it; it had been quite a chase. She'd been a bit theatrical then.

"Trilla, good morning," Cere seemed careful talking, "How are you feeling?"

"Fine as ever." Trilla replied, her tone neutral.

Sienna had been quiet for a bit until she noticed her approaching. She seemed distracted, sullen. But an effort was made to smile.

Trilla could see that the damages done on Sorgan still affected her. She could understand that feeling of betrayal all too easily.

For one adept at healing the spiritual wounds of another being, she certainly didn't seem to adhere to the same skills for herself. Or maybe she was better at it than Trilla thought. It was difficult to read.

"We need to resupply before we move," Cere told them, "We can pick up a few things we need in the market, then meet up back here." She raised an eyebrow toward the door of the ship. "Greez thinks he can trade with the Jawas outside for a few speeders for us to use."

Trilla tilted her head, partially amused by the thought. "How's that working out?"

O

Several Jawas were gesturing at the pile Greez had laid out in the sand.

He was sighing, rubbing his head with one of his arms. "Okay, we've been at it for two hours. I'm NOT giving you my ship!"

The Jawas continued to talk together while the others stepped out. Merrin noticed something on the pile of offered trinkets. She picked it up - a skull made of Mytag crystal.

"What would you trade for this?" she asked, looking down at the Jawas.

One of them seemed interested in the ichor stone in her robes. She frowned and shook her head, pointing a finger at one when they reached for it.

"I don't think so." she said, her tone a warning.

Cere stepped out, looked at Greez. "Any luck on getting us those speeders?"

"Nah." Greez told her, faking a smile. "Don't worry. I'm about to wear these guys down any minute now."

Cal put his hands on his hips. "Can you speak Jawa?"

"Sure! I mean, a few words," Greez said, with a shrug of his shoulders. "Like 'where's the bathroom' and things like that."

A few disapproving sounds from the Jawa in front of him.

Cere looked at Merrin. "Anybody speak Jawa?"

Sienna nodded her head. "I do." she told them. "I learned a bit when my father wanted me to learn other languages during my childhood days on Zeffo."

Trilla raised an eyebrow. "So Jawa was your first choice?"

Sienna smiled slightly. "It's helpful when you find yourself traveling the Outer Rim."

She looked at the Jawas and gave a small bow of her head. " _M'um m'aloo_ ," she said. " _Etee uwanna waa_."

The Jawas chattered wildly to one another. One of them seemed to appreciate the proper way she spoke and snapped his fingers toward the trade goods for offer. Sienna nodded and communicated with them while the others discussed their plan.

"So what about this guy?" Cal questioned, looking at Trilla. "How many stormtroopers does he have with him?"

"A lot. But nothing we can't handle," Trilla replied, with a thin smile. "You only need to realize that once Moff Grus has you, there's no doubt he will take you back to the Emperor, dressed up as a fine prize for his approval."

"Then we don't give him that chance," Merrin said, firmly.

"No." Trilla was distracted now.

" _Nyeta._ " Sienna shook her head when a Jawa pointed at her. She laughed a little, shook her head. " _Taa baa._ "

One of the speeders received Sienna's attention as she ran her hand over it, feeling every little crack and dent in the metal from what could have only been blaster fire and weather. The Jawas circled her, chattering in their native language and Trilla watched Sienna's expressions; she looked disappointed now and sighed through her nose, nodding once.

" _Speeda ko lopo!_ " one of the Jawas muttered.

"Well?" Trilla looked at her. "What did they say?"

Sienna looked at them. "One of their speeders is broken. They took it from a scrapped ship a few years back and they can only trade it for parts."

"That won't do." Trilla snapped at the Jawas. "Are you trying to swindle us, you little horrible - "

Sienna held up two hands when the Jawas grew distressed by her intimidating advance. "No, no, of course not!" she assured her. "They were trying to tell that to Greez, but...he didn't understand them."

"I see." Trilla was still irritated by the delay.

One of the Jawas pointed at Greez and giggled, hissing out something that had Sienna blinking in surprise. He frowned up at her.

"What'd that one just call me?"

Sienna made a face. "It's rude..."

"Well, we need to get across the desert," Cere told her, "Is there anything else we can trade them for?"

Sienna nodded and looked at the Jawas, continuing to speak to them. It took a few moments before Sienna looked at the others.

"They have...Dewbacks." she said. "They'll give us two of them. They were planning on cooking them up for steaks. They'll give them to us, but we have to do something for them first."

Trilla scoffed, grinning in disbelief. "Demanding little parasites."

Sienna assured them otherwise. "Well, there are a group of pirates nearby in a fortress. A few of their kind were enslaved. If we can save them, we can have the Dewbacks for travel."

Trilla sighed impatiently. Saving native species all for inferior transportation across a desert hellscape. What had she truly been reduced to?

"This is ridiculous," she said, annoyed, "We don't have time for this."

"We can make time," Cal assured her, "I mean, what else do we have? We can rescue these Jawas and get across the desert. We should always help anyone we can."

"And you Jedi would make it a point to help these native tribes?" Merrin seemed to doubt the idea.

Trilla watched Cal now and read the pride on his face. How he took pleasure in his archaic Jedi ideology amused her. She still had no idea how he managed to keep himself so sure about the old ways. They were gone. They were as dead as she was.

She looked at Sienna now and her mind was filled with a fleeting doubt.

_She says she believes there's still good there..._

The sandcrawlers filled up with Jawa and Sienna tapped her heel against the metal door. She made a thoughtful sound.

"Greez, stay with the ship," Cere told him. "Radio us if you pick up Imperial transmissions."

Greez nodded, waving one hand. "You got it!"

O

The vehicle was cramped.

Trilla sat between two Jawas, annoyed by their constant chatter as they drove them close to the fortress in question. She was irritated when they looked at her, giggling at her discomfort.

Cal was interested in studying a part of a machine. "Whoa!" he said, "This is a part for a Goji-DF!"

He received a few funny stares from the others sitting nearby.

"You know..." Cal looked at them for support. "The Turtle Tanker? I only got to see one of them on Bracca! This is a relic!"

Merrin smiled a bit too wide, attempting to be supportive. "And that's...a good thing?"

"It is!"

Cal was certainly happy with studying the part and it earned an amused chuckle from Merrin. Cere looked at Sienna, who had been quiet the entire time. Her features were strangely stoic for a woman who had been so warm and welcoming to them on Sorgan.

"Are you okay?" Cere questioned.

Trilla glanced over her shoulder, noticing the exchange. She furrowed her brow at Sienna's next words.

"Yes! I'm sorry, I suppose I just miss my home. Even if it just ended the way it did."

"...I'm sorry. I feel like we're responsible for it."

"What?" Sienna looked stunned. "No! No, why would you think that? I made the choice to use the Force to save myself and Trilla. I think I just..." A sigh. "I miss the peace I felt. But...I think that was a bad thing, too. I was hiding a part of myself because I was afraid."

Merrin looked at her sympathetically. "It's alright to be afraid." she told her. "And it's okay to miss a place you had once called home. No one can blame you for it."

Sienna nodded, somewhat content with the response. She said no more on the matter.

The sandcrawler ground to a halt, jerking everyone where they sat. Trilla nearly had an embarrassing encounter with the floor if not for stopping her tumble with two hands at the console.

The Jawas at the main control turned to them now, gesturing sharply to the window, chattering. Everyone turned to Sienna for a translation. She raised her eyebrows at one of them and spoke now.

"They want us above to get a better view." she explained.

They ventured to the top of the crawler and one of the Jawas handed Cal electrobinoculars. He peered through them toward a fortress below them, making a thoughtful sound.

"Doesn't look like many," he said.

Trilla approached him, taking the electrobinoculars to have a look for herself. "Hm. Ten at the most," she mused, "Common pirates armed with a few blasters and spears. Let's make this quick."

Merrin turned to Cal and Trilla. "With the three of us, we should be able to handle them."

Cere nodded in agreement. "Sienna and I'll stay here with the Jawas."

Trilla sighed, nodding. As soon as they got this whole matter dealt with, they could move on. "Fine. Let's just get this over with."

O

Cere stood at the doors of the sandcrawler, watching as Cal, Trilla and Merrin made their way toward the fortress below. She then looked toward Sienna, who was sitting on the floor, talking with the Jawas in their language. She chuckled, approached her and took a seat near them.

"It's good we have you," she said. "We all need to stick together, especially during times like these."

Sienna smiled a little, distracted.

"Are you...going to be okay?" Cere asked.

"Well, I am fine and rather engaged in a riveting conversation with..." Sienna gestured to one of the Jawas. "Tek?"

The Jawa nodded once. " _Ibana._ "

"I see." Cere sensed otherwise.

Meanwhile, the fortress was being patrolled by a Weequay pirate. He glanced toward several Jawas caged and tapped the bars with his blaster, laughing down at them.

Behind him, there was a muted thud, followed by a groan as a pirate behind him suddenly collapsed, dragged off into the shadows.

The Weequay whirled with a scowl, struck down by a pipe in his face wielded by Trilla. The Jawas cheered in their cages.

Trilla tilted her head with a smirk, watching as the Weequay held his jaw. He stared at her angrily. "What are you doing?" he snarled. "Have you got a death wish?"

Her tone was light with mockery. "Do YOU?"

He let out an enraged shout, aiming his gun and taking several shots. Trilla ducked and spun the pipe like her lightsaber, avoiding every shot. She swept her leg out, kicking his legs and knocking him to the ground. He dropped his blaster and he scrambled to reach for it, but she kicked it aside.

"Hey!" the pirate shouted, "Get out here, you idiots! We're - "

Another shout of pain and the Weequay watched as his Tholothian comrade was sent flying through a door, splintering the wood to bits. Merrin stepped through, dusting her hands off with a smile.

"Your friend is rude. I had to teach him some manners." she told the Weequay.

Cal was above, disposing a few pirates of his own. They were easily taken out and not at all the challenge she'd hoped for. Then again, they were just common thugs and Trilla had little time and patience for them. She didn't see the point in this ridiculous trip at all, but they did require means of transport through the desert and perhaps showing the Jawas a boon might benefit even later.

Trilla looked down at the frightened pirate. He started to reach for a smaller blaster in his boot and she huffed impatiently before pressing her heel into his hand, pinning him to the ground.

"Enough out of you," she warned, "Or the next thing I break will be something you're going to miss."

"Okay!" the pirate stammered, "Okay!"

Trilla turned her attention to the caged Jawas and promptly did away with the lock. They rushed out of the cage, chattering excitedly and offering her praise. She raised her hands, grimacing slightly; she didn't comprehend a single word they were saying, but they seemed grateful enough.

"Yes, you're...well, you're welcome." she said, with great effort.

Merrin and Cal worked to unlock the other cells and the Weequay stood up with an angry huff, reaching for his blaster. But he didn't have a chance to do so as he was suddenly convulsing where he stood. His hands went at his throat.

Trilla wasn't even looking back, but her hand was raised and she calmy flicked her wrist. The pirate's neck was snapped and he folded to the ground lifelessly.

She calmly looked at the other frightened pirates and raised her eyebrows. "Anyone else have a burning desire in their mind to try anything else?"

Unsettled silence between them. An odd stare from Cal.

Trilla smiled her approval. "Good."

Cal frowned as he watched her depart. He heard that tone in her voice; the cunning maliciousness from before. It made him wonder if the Dark Side was tempting her again. Maybe he could talk about it with Cere when they were alone.

O

Sienna and Cere stood up when they heard the group approach.

The Jawas immediately converged to greet their comrades; Trilla had to move aside with a grunt of disapproval when they nearly knocked her over. Pats were exchanged, eager and relieved chattering of words. She often forgot that Jawas were such a physical species.

" _Eyeta!_ " one of the Jawas told Trilla.

Trilla furrowed her brow, looking at Sienna. "What's he saying?"

"It means 'friend'." Sienna told her, with a gentle smile. "They think you're a friend to them."

Trilla wasn't quite sure what to make of that. They certainly seemed happy as they sung praises to her; she should have been so utterly grateful for that.

"Fine. Just show us these creatures you promised and we'll be on our way." She said it like an order.

Sienna translated for them and they were led to two Dewbacks held in a massive cage to the back of the sandcrawler.

Rugged reptillian lizards native to the deserts of Tatooine; they could withstand the heat of the world's suns and dust.

Sienna reached out with one hand and rested it against the leathery hide of one of the creatures. She smiled when it stirred with a lowing sound. It reminded them of Bantha's; their noises and certainly their smells.

"Wow, never ridden on one of these things before," Cal remarked.

Merrin smiled at him. "I'm sure you'll catch on quickly. You seem to have a knack for these things."

"Thanks."

Trilla raised an eyebrow at the exchange, amused. It seemed to her that the two had grown closer to one another since she'd last encountered them. Maybe there was more attempting to blossom there, such was how it went.

Well, wasn't that just precious.

O

Trilla and Sienna took to one of the Dewbacks while Cere, Merrin and Cal took the other. They made their way back to the Mantis with the Jawas departing on their way behind them. The trade was final and there was no need to speak to them further.

Trilla had never ridden on the back of one before. She uttered a breathless laugh, holding the reins of one with Sienna sitting in front of her.

"Well! Quite a spirit to this one!" she remarked.

Sienna grinned, laughing. "This is wonderful! He's a happy one. He likes the attention."

"How do you know?" Trilla questioned.

"I can feel it." Sienna told her, "His colors are gentle, like a soft breeze. But there are shimmers of sparks dancing. He's happy."

"Hm." Trilla clutched the reins tighter. "How does that work?"

"How does what work?"

"Your abilities. Do you...interpret emotions through color or is it something you just understand. Like an instinct, perhaps?"

Cere watched their interaction with a small smile. It was nice to see Trilla talking a little more. And even Sienna. Both of them seemed to speak together in a way that kept them focused away from each other's pain. For the moment.

"Something like that," Sienna replied, with a small laugh.

"The sounds. You said before that they affected you."

"Yes. Too much noise and sound can overload my senses." Sienna explained, "I am blind, but there are colors of life all around me. I feel feelings and the light of a person which can be harder to focus when too much is happening at once. Imagine it like being hit with a flash grenade."

Trilla frowned with a thoughtful sound, staring down at the crown of Sienna's head. Well, that explained things somewhat.

"I sense you right now. There's a pool of blues and greens, and at the center a red slice," Sienna's voice was quieter. Almost sad.

Trilla swallowed thickly, hearing the whispers of Him. She didn't know why, but she had to understand why Sienna had helped them. She was immediately guarded.

"Why did you help us?" she questioned.

Sienna's brow wrinkled, as if the question hurt her feelings more than it should have. "You were in pain. You're still in pain."

Trilla didn't answer. She stared ahead of them with a sigh. A part of her yearned to feel something other than the pain. But she knew it as something that had shaped her, became her. How did one just get rid of that?

"Is that why you don't want to hold that lightsaber?" Sienna questioned, with a careful consideration. "I sense the death from it and it hurts; the hell that screams to be remembered. It's frightening. I can see why you avoid it."

Trilla's voice was acidic now. "You're no Jedi. You wouldn't understand."

The tone was a sharp cut through the tranquility. It made Cere frown intensely. Merrin glanced at Cal, who shook his head, leaning over a little to argue.

"It's okay, Cal. It's fine." Sienna said, impassively. Her tone hid a wound, but she raised her chin and focused on the path ahead of them.

She didn't speak again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dream sequence at the beginning was inspired by the song "Mors Praematura" by Jessica Curry.


	6. Shadows of the Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "It's not enough to make the nightmares go away  
> It's not enough to make the tears run dry  
> It's not enough to live a little better every day  
> Everything that they taught us  
> Was nothing but lies."
> 
> -Pandora's Box "Original Sin"

~O~

Cere studied the passing natives and visitors with a tenseness to her thin frame.

Trilla caught this and she certainly didn't blame her for it; after all, Mos Eisley was home to any potential threat. It was home to bounty hunters, degenerates of society and any other filth that dared rear its head against the Empire. She knew all too well what sort of beings lived here. Perhaps they even remembered her somewhat. She would expect a fight at some point if they chose to linger too long.

The heat was excruciating and she felt her face soaked with sweat.

Sienna didn't seem as bothered by it; in fact, she didn't seem focused on much but her hands. She was rubbing her palm with her thumb, making a small, thoughtful sound. But she wasn't speaking. To any of them. She hadn't spoken for the duration of the trip.

Cere was speaking to Greez through her wrist link. "Greez, how's it looking out there?"

" _Slow. Saw a couple of Bathas and Tuskens. They can't see me up here._ " Greez paused, laughing at something else. " _Hey! Yeah!_ "

Cere raised an eyebrow. "You're not watching those games, are you?"

" _What? No! No..._ " Greez didn't sound convincing.

Cere let out a sigh. She didn't want to argue right now. "Well, we're going to get supplies and head back. Call me if you pick up on anything."

"Got it!"

Cere looked at the others. "Alright, we have a list of things we need," she said, "Let's split up into groups and meet back here."

Cal nodded and looked at BD-1. "Hey, maybe we can find you a new upgrade, huh?"

BD-1 chirped happily at the thought.

Cere smiled and looked at Trilla. "Come on. You and me. Let's take a walk."

Trilla followed Cere into the crowds, but looked back at Sienna briefly. The woman went along with Cal and Merrin without a word.

O

Cere and Trilla entered Lup's Wares and Supplies; a sandstone shop owned by two Shistavanen. Kal, a female Shistavanen smiled when they approached her.

"Welcome! My name is Kal," she said. "Can I help you find anything? My husband just received a new shipment this morning."

"Yes," Cere told her, "Do you have any of these things in your shop?"

She brought up a holographic display of her list on her wrist link. Kal leaned forward to study the list with a curious rumble in her throat.

"I have some of this," she told her, "I can check our storage. Wait here and have a look around."

"Thank you." Cere turned to Trilla. "Shall we?"

The two women wandered the shop, looking around at the supplies lining the walls and corners. Some of it was in disarray and a few others were searching for what they wanted to purchase.

Cere glanced at Trilla, who studied a small wrist link. She wasn't focused.

"You know, she was only trying to help you." Cere said, gently.

"Hm? Who?" Trilla looked at her and it took only a second for her to realize who Cere spoke of. "Oh. The woman. Yes, I know. And I told her how I felt about what she'd said. She doesn't understand the burden of a lightsaber and what it endures with you. She is no Jedi."

"No, she's not," Cere agreed, "But I think you hurt her feelings."

Trilla let out a sigh, staring at her with disapproval. "I don't understand what I said that could have been interpreted as cruel."

"You really don't?"

"No. I just explained what my intentions were and - "

Cere sighed through her nose. "Trilla, Sienna just lost her friend and was forced to leave her home." she explained, "We're all trying to do right and move on. To find peace with the few of us left. She wants to help you. I want to help you. And I know..." She hesitated. "I know it's not easy."

Trilla refused to look at her. She swallowed thickly, blinking a few times as she fought the emotion. Deny or accept. It was just a constant push and pull.

The Dark whispered to her.

A Rodian boy was eagerly running outside with his human friends. They were playing a game, from the looks of things and Trilla found herself watching, even if she hadn't intended to.

" _Don't look._ "

The memory was slithering in.

She blinked again, shaking her head and attempting to focus away from it. "Cere, perhaps we should just focus on the task at hand," she said, her tone even, "Moff Grus will not focus on anything other than us. He will believe we are prizes to be given to the Emperor."

"And how does that make you feel?" Cere questioned, troubled.

Trilla knew what she wanted to ask - she was afraid to. She knew that Cere had a fear that something would bring her back to the Empire. But it was them. They were the ones who had fought through legions of troopers to save her life.

She was in conflict.

O

A human woman was huddled against the wall in old clothes, hiding her scarred face in a hood.

Sienna knelt down before her and the woman's eyes widened when she saw her.

"You're in pain..." Sienna said, quietly.

The woman nodded her head and started to hide her scarred face, but stopped when she realized that Sienna was blind.

"Where does it hurt?" Sienna asked, her tone welcoming and gentle.

The woman looked around at those who passed, unsure of what to say. She licked her chapped lips, hesitantly gesturing to herself.

"Everywhere," she mumbled.

"I see," Sienna reached up to gently cup her cheeks. "Perhaps I can help a little."

The woman was startled by the contact, but didn't rebuke her. Touch was something she was not accustomed to, given her appearance. Sienna rested her forehead against hers and the Force pulled, weaved and soothed. The woman closed her eyes, shuddering breathlessly when she felt it comforting her.

Sienna smiled and parted, looking at her hopefully. "Does that help?"

The woman was trembling, but ultimately, she looked a little better; she was no longer sickly pale and some life seemed to return to her face.

"Thank you."

Merrin and Cal made their way up to her, carrying a few things in their arms.

"We found most of what Cere wanted," Merrin told her. "We should meet back with her and Trilla."

Sienna nodded her head. "Of course. Did you find some more clothes?"

Cal smiled. "Yeah. A good bit for the trip back."

"Wonderful. Though I wonder if they have a place I can buy some herbs and plants?" Sienna sniffed the air. "I would like to return to my healing practice. It would be a way for me to return to normal."

Merrin nodded. "Of course. Maybe when we return, I could show you some Dathomirian recipes for various salves."

Sienna certainly appreciated that. "Thank you! That would be lovely."

Then, she froze.

Cal and Merrin stared at her, confused by the sudden stop. She was looking around, her features clouded in thought before she gradually looked to be in pain.

"Why... Why do I smell him?" she whispered, a haunted pitch to her voice.

"What?" Cal approached her. "What do you... Oh."

The two looked down at a stand where meat was being cooked over a fire pit. It was being served to a few hungry patrons.

A Jotaz.

Trilla and Cere made their way out of the shop and noticed Sienna was doubled over, vomiting and leaning against a sandstone wall. Merrin was soothing her with a few strokes to her back.

"Hey, is she alright?" Cere asked, walking up to them, worry in her voice.

"Yes, she's fine," Merrin replied, "The people were cooking a Jotaz and it was a reminder of her friend."

"Oh..."

Sienna wiped her mouth on her hand and Trilla watched her; the woman had been crying before she'd met up with her again, given the streaks of wetness on her cheeks.

It was the first show of raw emotion she'd had since they'd left Sorgan.

O

They ventured back to the Mantis and Sienna's usual smooth voice was strained.

"I'm dissembled and shook from it," she said, quietly, "I am merely a foolish half-breed who utters pithy phrases that inspire others and heal them, but cannot give me the same."

Trilla found herself speaking. "Some do well with healing others, but not themselves."

Sienna sighed. "Perhaps. I just spent so many years with Fang. He's been by my side protecting me since I was a little girl," she continued. Her voice was smaller now. "And just like that, he was snuffed out in a second - his colors fading into the wind."

Cere looked at her sympathetically. "Well, don't worry. We're all friends now. We all need to stick together."

Trilla remembered her own words that day. When it had happened and Cere and fled them.

_"We need to stick together!"_

_"No."_

She smiled bitterly. No matter what Cere told her, she would never forget that day when her Master had betrayed her; left her to suffer and rot at the hands of the Empire. How was she to move on with this rolling hatred constantly on her back?

The twin suns had set when they finally made it back to the Mantis; the Dewbacks were to be sent back as there would be no room for them on the ship.

Trilla spent the evening watching the distance to clear her head a little. They were planning on leaving the planet, but she needed a moment to herself. The cold desert air was a momentary reprieve from the scorching suns. A chill went through her frame.

Cere was approaching. "Hey." she said. "You doing okay?"

Trilla glanced briefly at her, then sighed, not responding.

"It's quiet out here," Cere attempted conversation. "It's nice."

Trilla didn't look at her. "Do you truly believe people can change?" she questioned. "That I have capacity for good? That woman seems to believe it, but I'm not sure you do."

Cere blinked, a little taken by those words. "Why do you think I don't believe you?"

"Because I see how you watch me, Cere," Trilla sneered, looking at her with a bitter smile. Her tone took on that smooth, dangerous pitch she was famous for. "Like I'm a bomb waiting to explode."

Cere looked caught and sighed through her nose. "I just... I know you're struggling to fit in here and beat away the Darkness eating at you. I want to make sure you know you're not alone this time. I want to spend time fixing what I'd broken. I want to help you, Trilla."

"Yes, yes, you keep saying that," Trilla was bored with the constant assurance. "But the real question is - "

She immediately cut herself off, looking sharply toward the horizon.

A glint from the barrel of a gun.

Cere noticed it, too. She let out a shout.

"DOWN!"

A shot. Directly at Trilla's feet. Sand erupted into the air, coating her across her shoulders.

Her eyes widened with a grin in the direction of the shot.

It drew the attention of the others as they filed out of the ship; Cal was armed with his lightsaber and BD-1 was chirping anxiously.

"What is it?" Sienna gasped.

"A sniper." Trilla said, still grinning. "There..." She indicated the direction toward a few ruined ships in the distance.

On a desolate Star Destroyer, a Weequay pirate was crouched, near a speeder. He was peering through the scope of his weapon, watching Trilla in the crosshairs. She was looking directly at him, smirking. She mouthed words that had the pirate snarling when he read her lips perfectly.

_What's wrong, sniper? Scared?_

The Weequay hissed out with rage. He watched her open her arms, inviting him down to challenge her. An insult.

How dare she.

How dare she mock him!

"Damn you, Inquisitor DOG!" he spat.

He let out a shout of rage, jumping to his bike and speeding down the length of the ship. Toward them. And his shout called for others who rushed out of the ship on their own bikes, letting out a chorus of war cries.

For blood.

For revenge.

Cal blinked, eyes widening. "That's not good."

Greez had been watching from the doors of the ship. "Hey, uh, you think we've overstayed our welcome?" he asked them.

"No. Not yet," Trilla whispered, her tone darkening, "Let them meet us."

"What?" Cere stared at her in disbelief.

"This is your Jedi way, is it not?" Trilla told her, with boredom. "To protect? To damn those worthy of damnation?"

Twisted ideology of what was and what had been. Cere knew it was a mockery and even so, she knew that these pirates would probably continue to do harm to the natives of Tatooine.

Unfortunately, not much time was spent thinking on the matter as the pirates were upon them in a second; blasters firing, sharp weapons swinging.

O

A scream of pain.

One of the pirates had his arm forced back as Merrin stood over him. She kicked him across the face before unleashing a blast of green Magick at another.

It worked itself into him and he convulsed before his eyes flashed green. He snarled, drool trickling down his chin as he began to attack two of his comrades.

The Weequay pirate advanced on Trilla, tossing his targeting sniper to the side. He charged for her, knife slashing out. She ducked out of the way with each swipe, leaning back sharply several times. Not a single blow was landed.

"Hmmm, not quite the spirit I expected!" she hissed, grabbing his wrist and twisting enough so that it forced him into a lock, "Have I murdered someone you knew?"

The Weequay snarled at her. "My brother!"

Trilla forced him to recoil after twisting his knife from his hand. "You do realize how little that narrows it down, don't you? I can't remember everyone I kill."

That enraged the pirate even more. He let out a shout and lunged for her.

Meanwhile, Sienna was calmly standing as several pirates were stalking toward her with their weapons at the ready. They were laughing, sneering at her.

"Look at this girl!"

Sienna smiled now. "Yes, look at me."

She raised her hands and two of the pirates were suddenly levitated into the air. The other two looked horrified, raising their blasters at Sienna.

"She's - What's she doing?!"

"Stop! Put me down!"

"No!"

Sienna pursed her lips with effort, flinging the two into one another. They collapsed to the ground with groans of pain and were helped up by the other two. They quickly scattered with their friends, whimpering in terror.

Sienna inhaled sharply, taking a moment to calm herself.

Meanwhile, Trilla had subdued the Weequay with one heel against his chest. She was studying his weapon with a curious note. "A DLT-19x . Hmm, quite advanced for a common thug." she said. "Tell me, you didn't just find this on a whim, did you?"

He snarled, then paled when she leered down at him, her voice a frightening whisper. Her eyes nearly glowed as she spoke.

"The Empire sent you, didn't they?"

He nodded his head, voice straining out of him. "M-Moff Grus!" he stammered, "He offered me weapons and revenge if I brought you in! After you killed my brother, I contacted him for a way to make you suffer as he did!"

Cal and Merrin approached him now. Cal held up the saber to his face and he withered at the sight.

"Glory to the Sons!" he cried, "I was promised the glory!"

"Moff Grus won't give that to you. He only takes and your pirates are suffering dearly for it." Trilla told him, shaking her head with a cruel smile, "Look at them, little Weequay. Look at what your desire for revenge costs you."

"You..." the pirate seethed with several enraged breaths. "You killed my brother."

"And he intended to kill me. Isn't that part of your creed? Kill before you are killed?" Trilla sneered, "Your brother? He was weak."

A scream of wrath from the Weequay and he surged to his feet. But he didn't get very far as Trilla seized Cal's lightsaber from his hand - he uttered a protest of some kind - and shoved the glowing blade through the pirate's chest.

A gurgle, a twitch of muscle.

She leaned in close, watching as he shuddered on the blade. His hand weakly reached for her, but he gave one last dying sigh before stilling.

Trilla took a moment to catch her breath, aware of the stares from the others and the silence. She let out a single note of amusement before tilting her head, noticing the Weequay's wrist link. She bent down, retrieved it and switched it on.

An image of a man wearing a helmet and Imperial uniform appeared in a hologram. His helmet resembled a Barghest skull. The cloak was elegant as all Empire clothing was wont to be and he spoke with a smooth, soft and dangerous voice.

_"Find the Second Sister. Her bounty has been raised by several thousand. I want her alive."_

Normally, anyone else would have been concerned; but Trilla found amusement in this more than anything. Moff Grus truly wanted to hunt her? Well, she was not to be his prey. She would find him first.

Once the Mantis left Tatooine, it was quiet between them all as they prepared to find rest while traveling to their next destination, even if they had no idea where that would be.

Trilla set up her quarters with the new blankets they'd purchased and while she'd done that, she could scarcely make out a conversation with Greez and Sienna.

"...Thank you."

"Don't sweat it. My whole life is at those controls. You take this room."

"I don't know what to say. You've all been so kind to me."

"Don't sweat it."

Greez walked passed Trilla's room, humming to himself. Things began to finally grow quiet on the ship and Trilla laid back in the bed, crossing her hands in front of her. She closed her eyes, attempting to find some manner of calm.

She knew that if she went to sleep, she would dream again.

Dream of Him.

A pitter patter of metal and she opened one eye, peering down at BD-1 who stood there at the floor, looking up at her.

"You again." Trilla sighed. "Very well. If you must."

BD-1 chirped happily and jumped onto the bed with her. Pacing a few times, the little droid found comfort at her side and produced another hologram; Cere performing a song with Younglings. The same music that reminded Trilla of a better time.

Was this truly what Cere attempted? To go back to where they'd left off? How could she do that? She was tired and things would never change, no matter how much they tried. Even if a part of her wanted to try so very badly; the other part of her mocked it, pushed it aside. That part could not trust again.

It was exhausting to think about right now.

She had to sleep.

O

Sienna was attempting to meditate in her quarters.

She crossed her legs on the floor, closed her eyes and felt for the Force around her; a soothing feeling through the haze of pain that lingered over her shoulders. The loss of her friend. How the others had looked at her on Sorgan. These had been people she'd known for years and hoped that they would still adore her even if she had connections to the Force.

Soft crying.

Sienna opened her eyes, frowning now.

She rose, made her way from her quarters and stopped at Trilla's. She keyed the door to open and knew that the other woman was in the middle of a terrible dream.

Trilla's features were contorted, small sounds of distress escaping her lips. BD-1 was on the floor, chirping worriedly up at her.

Sienna approached her bedside, knelt down and shook her shoulder. "Trilla?" she whispered, soothingly. "Hey, Trilla."

It took a few more shakes before Trilla's eyes flew open. She quickly jolted up, hands balancing herself as she looked around frantically, struggling to come back to reality. A few deep, anguished sounds burst from her before she eventually noticed Sienna kneeling there.

"S-Sienna? What are you...?" she gasped.

She wiped her face with one hand, choking out a sound.

"A bad dream?" Sienna questioned, gently.

A quick nod from Trilla. "Always bad dreams. I..." She glanced down at Sienna, relieved that she couldn't see the suffering and weakness on her face. "I always see - "

Sienna exhaled, lowering her head for a moment. "I want to help you, Trilla. Help me understand what happened. I don't want this to eat you alive."

Trilla stared down at her, vulnerable. "Yes, I suppose. If that's what it takes to get you to 'help me'," she replied, her tone tense.

She took a deep breath and shut her eyes before speaking. "Yes, it's true. I was once an Inquisitor for the Empire. They tortured me into submission."

Sienna tilted her head. There was no judgment on her face. "But what you left out...?"

"The betrayal," Trilla said, her tone an edge now. "Why Cere was at fault for what happened to me."

Sienna raised her eyebrows. "I see. Cere was the reason they found you."

She knew that. She felt it. But Trilla had to keep talking and share that on her own.

For Trilla, reliving that old memory stung; the scar seemed to itch again as she felt the coldness returning to her. The Force twisted itself around them, but it was tethered somehow by Sienna's abilities. Her ties to the Force were softer, albeit alight with painful sensations only reflected by her own loss.

And yet, she felt calmer in her presence.

"I was made in their image," Trilla said, with a bitter chuckle, "And she saves me, deluding herself into thinking that any act of kindness will just make that vanish. She should only get what she deserves for it."

Sienna's brow wrinkled slightly. "What's that?"

"Punishment!" Trilla insisted, with an irritated scoff. "For manipulating me. Yes, the Empire tortured me, but Cere was the one who made sure that I fell into it! She was the one that made sure that I felt horrible things that I..."

She trailed herself off, catching her breath. Her eyes brimmed somewhat and she clenched her teeth, hissing sharply and looking away.

Sienna held up a calming hand and rested it gently against Trilla's. "That, right there, that what you stopped yourself from feeling, that's exactly what you need to feel."

"What do I need to feel?" Trilla suddenly felt defensive. This was a vulnerability that she didn't like. "Anger? Hate? I feel plenty of that even after their botched attempts!"

"No." Sienna said, calmly. She smiled and it was sad. "The pain."

Trilla's glare disappeared. She blinked.

Pain.

Yes, the more she peeled away at the layers she'd built, the more she realized that she was hurt; everything about what Cere had done had hurt her.

"Pain?" Trilla whispered, her voice trembling.

"Yes..." Sienna told her, "It hurt you. I said you were in pain because I saw it. I felt the heartbreak you felt when He told you that Cere had betrayed you. In order for you to heal, Trilla. You must go through this pain to get passed it."

Trilla stared at her, blinking once. She remained silent, fighting every emotion that plagued her mind right now.

Go through it.

Her mind went to her lightsaber. The hell that it carried. The scream of the kyber crystal as it wailed in the shadows for vengeance. For blood. To fill the void her suffering had created.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending is inspired by the song "High Hopes (The Lucifer Edit)" by QUAILS.


	7. Something Long Forgotten

~O~

Trilla oddly took comfort in the atmosphere of D'Qar that morning.

Her mind felt a little clearer as well, even when she was in Cere's company. The remaining night that she had slept after speaking with Sienna proved to be a little more pleasant. The woman's efforts to help her seemed to work.

She was sitting on a cliff, looking out to the horizon while Cere stood at the bottom, talking with her; about everything and nothing. She seemed intent on reminiscing about the past. But she did work well on avoiding the darker parts.

Trilla was avoiding that as well.

"I remember the time the Youngling switched those statues," Cere said, with a little laugh, "The other Masters were furious."

Trilla made a small, amused sound. The memory was pointless to bring up, but still amusing. "It was to make that old fool Pleiades lose his temper. Neither one of us liked him, as you recall."

A member of the Jedi Enclave Council; Trilla remembered how nasty the old man had been. He was strict with punishment.

But then again, so was she nowadays.

They looked over when they saw Greez departing from the Mantis, holding his nose with one of his four hands. He was uttering a few choice complaints and gestured to his ship when the two women decided to approach.

"Hey, don't go in there yet!" he said, his tone a warning, "She's making a witches brew and stinking up my whole ship with it!"

Merrin stepped out of the ship now, holding a few plants in hand. She stared down at Greez with dismay at his reaction. "You're overreacting." she told him. "I barely notice the smell." She looked at the other two now and shook her head. "It's a simple healing salve. That's all."

The smell was certainly overpowering when they entered the Mantis. Cal was holding his nose and let out a weak laugh.

"Hey, whatever helps." he said.

Sienna was standing over the counter in the common area. She was tending to the plants as well in the terrariums.

"Greez, did you know that these plants you have possess healing properties?" Sienna questioned. "It was very smart to have them on your ship."

Greez laughed weakly in response. It was clear he didn't think about that, but appreciated the compliment either way.

"Yeah, uh..." he said, "That's exactly why I have them."

"So, Cal..." Cere looked at him. "Did you see anything when you were out there?"

Cal nodded his head. "A Venator-class Star Destroyer," he told them.

A few surprised looks and even Trilla couldn't resist her curiosity.

"Really?" she said. "That's interesting. The Empire had no use for this planet. I'm surprised such a vessel was left here and abandoned."

Cal made a face, unsure. "Don't know. BD-1 and I looked around for a bit. Looks like it was shot down." he explained. "Maybe there might be some information or something there. We could always take a look around and find out."

Trilla's brow wrinkled with a thoughtful note. She was interested in the vessel; after all, Imperial tech wasn't just left to be abandoned unless something truly serious had happened. She couldn't help but want to know just what it was.

Cere seemed unsure. "I don't know, Cal."

Cal shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe we can learn a thing or two about Moff Grus while we're at it." He looked at Trilla. "Do you think we might find something about this guy on that ship?"

Trilla shook her head. "Not even I know much about him, though my attentions were focused elsewhere during my time with the Empire. But still, I am curious what would warrant the abandonment of such a vessel on a desolate planet such as this."

Cere seemed interested now the more she was thinking about it.

"Alright. Cal, Trilla and I will check it out," she said, "We might find something. Greez, Merrin and Sienna. Stay here and watch the ship. Radio if you find anything."

Greez sighed, still holding his nose. "Can we at least keep the door open? Sheesh."

O

Cal led the two through the lush forests, BD-1 perched on his shoulder.

Cere was watching the little droid with amusement. "It's amazing. You two are practically inseparable now, huh?"

"Yep. Can't imagine being anywhere without him." Cal smiled at BD-1.

The droid made a trilling click in response. A happy noise.

Trilla huffed once, disinterested in the discussion.

They cleared the forest and found themselves facing the vast form of the Venator-class Star Destroyer; an enormous, ruined vessel that nearly blocked out the sun above them. It was overrun by vines and thick vegetation and Sonar swallow's were perched on the rotted metal, chirping to one another.

"Well, look at this!" Trilla marveled at the massive craft. "What secrets does this vessel hold, I wonder?"

"Hard to say with the Empire," Cal replied, raising his lightsaber to help them see. "Let's go inside. BD? Keep a watch out and scan if you see anything."

BD-1 chirped in response.

There was a massive crater in the hull of the ship that allowed the three to enter into the cargo hold. The metal around them groaned and creaked. There was water dripping somewhere and it echoed richly throughout the ship.

Cal's lightsaber cast an eerie glow. He held it up to one of the shipping containers, reading the Basic printed on the side.

"Huh. 'Organic Matter'." he mused.

Trilla approached a console and tapped a few buttons absently before she looked back at BD-1. "Droid. Come."

BD-1 stared at her before pattering over. Cal watched, a little surprised that BD-1 was obeying her without question. He hopped onto the console before Slicing it.

Immediately, the droid projected a list of data from his lens. Trilla studied it for a moment before tilting her head.

"Oh. Now that's interesting," she said, "This ship was transporting laboratory experiments and testing subjects."

Cere looked troubled by that. "Oh no."

Cal seemed to sense the severity of the situation. He knew how uncomfortable they must have felt. "Well...maybe we can find something useful outside of this cargo hold. We don't have to stay here if you two don't want to."

Trilla smirked at him. She would have retorted about his attempt at sympathizing with their history of experimentation and torture. But a clattering turned their attention sharply to the shadows.

"What was that?" Cere whispered.

"Let's go." Cal said.

He led the two through the dark, lighting the way. BD-1 hopped down from the console and pattered his way ahead, stopping at a glass container that had been smashed. A few sonar swallows had made a nest inside and it looked as if one of the animals had knocked over a piece of metal.

A few sighs of relief from the three.

"Well, we found our culprit." Cal said, with a light laugh.

He bent down and rested his hand against the container, but suddenly stiffened with a groan. His eyes widened in horror and the two women turned to focus on him.

"Cal?" Cere said, worriedly.

His Psychometry must have picked up on something truly horrific, given the look on his face. Trilla watched as he took a moment before speaking.

"Something bad did happen here," he said, "The officers and the workers died, but...from the inside."

"What does that mean?" Cere asked, concerned.

"Don't know. Maybe it's worth looking into."

Trilla had to agree; whatever the Empire had toyed with, it had backfired on them. She wanted to know just how bad it had truly been.

O

Cal rested his hand against the ruined navigation system.

_An officer, eyes wide and disoriented with a drooling grin._

_He was pushing a button over and over mindlessly. Two other officers had to seize him._

_They were screaming and it was chaotic._

_A flash of an alien life form._

Cal looked at the other two. "Something was here. One of their experiments got out. I think it took control of them."

"Brain worms?" Cere asked.

"Don't know. It was hard to make out."

Trilla murmured thoughtfully. "A parasitic organism, perhaps. Most of them were outlawed by Imperial decree."

"Why's that?" Cal questioned.

Trilla shrugged her shoulders. "Most of the organisms hosting these parasites were difficult to command and resulted in the demise of many empires in the past. They were surely testing other means of control and it backfired on them. The fools."

"Well, we've seen firsthand what that kind of experimentation results in..." Cere agreed.

Trilla wandered around the navigation room, studying several scratches along the windows. Stained walls that could have only come from blood.

Cal was still focusing on the Echo's around him, speaking with each memory he picked up. "They broke one of the containers... One of the things got out and attached to an officer. Everyone was infected and the ship lost control..."

Trilla raised a hand to the bloody streaks on the wall, a memory coming to her.

Memories of blood.

And screams.

Something watched them, chattering in the shadows.

Their voices were distorted as they made their way out of the ship.

"...what a complete waste of time..." Trilla said.

"Not really. Some parts here we can use."

"Possibly. Or sell them."

A low snarling sound from the creature observing.

O

Merrin and Sienna were sitting across from one another at the table nearby; Merrin was swirling a collection of green magick and Sienna tilted her head with a small laugh. She could sense the colors and changes in the air.

"It's...different from the Force but...not." she said. "It feels older. The colors are faded, but new."

Merrin smiled.

Greez hummed to himself as he watered one of his plants. He leaned down, studying them with a pleased smile.

"There you go, guys! Drink up! I hope those girls weren't too hard on you." he said.

Merrin looked toward Greez now. "Greez, we only extracted a few of its leaves."

"I know! But they're delicate!"

Merrin shook her head. Sienna tilted her head thoughtfully. "Could anyone use magick?" she questioned.

"Yes," Merrin replied, albeit hesitantly. "As long as they are sensitive with the Force. A Jedi attempted to deceive me so that I could teach him. He felt he had a right to the Nightsister's culture"

Sienna considered that for a moment. Then, she sighed. "I am out of touch with my own culture, I fear."

"How so?"

"My father hid me away," Sienna explained, with an impassive shrug, "I understand that he had the best intentions, but I was still denied my Miraluka culture most of my life. What I do know, I know from books and studies. I've never actually met one of my own under..."

Merrin watched Sienna falter slightly and her brow wrinkled.

Sienna forced a smile on her face. "Well, under the best of circumstances."

"I thought your people were united by race."

"Mmm," Sienna looked at her sadly, "Well, perhaps most of them had. But there were a scant few who adhere to pure-blood ideology and they broke away from Miraluka society. I only knew this because of my encounter with one."

"I had no idea."

Trilla entered the Mantis along with Cal and Cere, the discussion interrupted. Merrin rose, looked at them curiously and Greez had stopped what he was doing to focus on them.

"So, you guys find anything in that ship of yours?" Greez asked.

"No, but we found out it used to transport experiments," Cal told him, taking a seat on the couch.

Greez looked worried. "Experiments? What kinds of experiments?"

"Parasitic organisms, if Cal's visions are any indication," Trilla replied, with a note of disapproval.

Greez let out a disgusted sound and Merrin looked equally disturbed.

"Wait, parasites?" Greez cried, "Are they still alive? How many are there?"

Trilla sighed, annoyed. "Calm down, Latero." she said, "The ship was empty. Whatever parasites were left after the crash were surely destroyed."

Outside of the Mantis, something scuttled across the grass. It seemed to watch the ship for a moment before disappearing into the engine.

Later that evening, Cal was talking with Cere regarding Moff Grus and Trilla was with Sienna in the common area. Sienna was levitating a small seed back and forth with each other. Just as they had done on Sorgan. It had helped relax her, but her mind wandered even so. Talking with Sienna would keep her focused on the task at hand.

"What were you making earlier?" Trilla questioned.

Sienna smiled. "A healing salve and a few brews for anxiety." she explained. "Most of them were for you. I thought they could help you when you sleep."

Trilla let out a small laugh. She shook her head dismissively, amused by the notion. "Come now, Sienna; I don't have anxiety."

Sienna raised an eyebrow, amused. "Who's the Force Empathetic one here?"

Trilla's smile thinned slightly. She was glad that the others didn't seem to catch that part of the discussion. "That Force Empathy of yours can be quite irritating..." she said.

Sienna laughed a little. "Yes, I suppose it can. My father certainly had a difficult time dealing with it when I lived on Zeffo with him."

She paused, tilted her head. "What of your parents? Do you remember them?"

"No," Trilla replied, "Well, except for my mother. Children suited to the Jedi Order are taken from them at a young age. They don't return to them."

"Never?" Sienna looked surprised to hear that.

Trilla didn't see what the big deal was; it was how things were and how they'd been before the Purge. She never thought about her parents after she'd been chosen as Cere's apprentice. When she thought about them, her mind came up with shadows.

"Never." she finally answered.

O

Cere stepped out of the ship with Cal and eventually, Trilla followed. She noticed the two had begun training together; lightsabers and all, of course. Cere was using hers and didn't seem to notice her watching. Their movements were fluid and surprisingly balanced.

Her eyes hardened at the red glow of the lightsaber.

It was whispering to her.

The kyber crystal was scratching at the walls...

"Trilla!"

The woman looked up and found Sienna standing on top of the ship, performing several movements with her body - a peculiar form of kata.

"What are you doing up there?" Trilla asked, frowning.

"Calming meditation," Sienna told her, "I am focusing the Force around me. Why don't you join me?"

Trilla raised an eyebrow. "I didn't realize you could levitate."

"I can't. That wasn't really a skill I was able to master." Sienna replied, with a chuckle. "I'm, well, blind in the air, so to speak. I just used the ladder."

She paused in her motions, tilting her head.

"Come up here. This might help you."

Trilla sighed, but she preferred to keep her distance from that wretched lightsaber. She levitated herself up to the top of the ship, standing beside Sienna.

"Your connection to the Force, it's shaken, but mending a little each day, isn't it?" Sienna questioned. "I can sense it, but there's still a twist there in the colors."

Trilla stared at her and Sienna smiled.

"Come on. Move with me." she said.

Trilla frowned. "Oh, like...?"

"Feel the Force within you..." Sienna instructed, making the smooth, wave-like motions with her hand. "It's...like the ocean. Do you fight the current or do you just swim with it?"

Trilla made a thoughtful note and began the motions, mirroring her. That seemed to make the most sense, really.

"You seem to be doing well," she replied.

"Oh?"

"Come now, Sienna. You're distracted. We talked about family and you certainly seemed bothered by it more than I was."

Sienna's smile disappeared. "Maybe." she admitted. "Perhaps I just think it's unfair."

"Really?" Trilla smiled a little, intrigued by that for some reason. "Why do you say that?"

"You don't get to see your family because of Jedi code. And I lost my father because of..." Sienna sighed now, shut her eyes and stopped the motions. "Because of one."

"What?" Trilla looked at her now. "What do you mean?"

The idea of Jedi corruption was not a rare thing. But Sienna's father having died to one and yet, still wanting to help them interested her.

"How did that happen?" she questioned.

Sienna sighed through her nose. "He was a Miraluka. Blinded by jealousy. It was the only experience I've had with my own kind and it was cruel."

"And yet, you chose to help us," Trilla stared at her, finding the notion absurd. "You knew it was a Jedi who orphaned you and led you to wander the universe alone - well, with your pet. But still, you helped. Why?"

Sienna tilted her head in her direction. "I choose to help others, even if they are Jedi. Because I will not allow myself to be the same monster. I refuse to be that way."

Trilla still failed to comprehend her logic, but it must have been helpful if she'd been doing it the way she had for so long.

"You're a difficult creature, aren't you?" she quipped.

Sienna laughed a little, resuming her motions. "Well, you wouldn't be the first to say so."

"I imagine so."

Trilla felt herself laughing softly at herself.

It was nice. She forgot the howling of her lightsaber.

O

"Drink it."

"No. It smells foul."

Trilla eyed the brew with dismay, wrinkling her nose at the smell. Sienna had been holding up the bottle, kneeling at her bedside. BD-1 was chirping to the side and Trilla eyed the droid with irritation.

"I don't know what you're saying, droid; but your remarks are far from helpful," she snapped.

BD-1 lowered his antenna slightly with a discouraged boop sound.

"I know it does stink," Sienna agreed. She paused, took a sniff before wrinkling her nose as well. "But it works. I promise."

Trilla sighed, staring at the brew. "Fine."

She brought the bottle to her lips and took a quick drink. Sienna giggled when she made disgusted grunts and smacked her lips.

"God, I wish I could see your face," she said, with another giggle.

"Yes, yes, we're all very amused," Trilla replied, perplexed by the odd feeling that came over her. "Now."

Sienna tilted her head with a confused nose.

"If you wouldn't mind!" Trilla insisted.

"Oh! Of course!" Sienna rose and departed the room. BD-1 pattered out after her. Trilla shook her head, letting out a light scoff before she laid back in bed.

The sheets were comfortable.

The pillow was soft.

But the foul taste in her mouth was another matter entirely.

And it took quite a while before she was relaxed enough to rest; her mind was at peace for the first time in a while, thanks to the foul brew that Sienna had concocted.

It was nice to sleep without fear for a change.

O

Something skittered through the upper vent before climbing through into Trilla's quarters.

It hovered over her, hissing sharply.

When it dove down, the shout that was uttered awoke Cere and everyone else from sleep.

"Trilla?" Cere gasped, quickly stumbling from her quarters.

Cal was hurrying toward the front of the ship and Greez had fallen from the couch he was sleeping on, disoriented and shuddering.

"Whoa!" he cried, "What happened...?"

The Mantis' door was wide open and it had begun raining on the planet. Lightning lit up the night and Cere peered into Trilla's empty quarters before looking at the others.

"Where's Trilla?" she demanded, frantic.

Sienna was standing at the door, uneasiness and worry on her face. "She ran. I smell blood..."

Cere shook her head rapidly and moaned "no" under her breath over and over as she quickly rushed out into the night, drenched from the storm. The others followed her.

"TRILLA!" Cere shouted, over the rain.

"What happened?" Merrin asked, looking at Greez.

"I don't know!" Greez insisted, "I was sleeping and I heard this bang. I woke up as soon as you guys did!"

The air was cold, the smell of blood subtle, but there. Sienna looked frightened.

"The colors are dark here," she whispered, "She's lost. We have to find her!"

Cere hissed with effort. "I won't let it happen again." She was already rushing into the forest. "NOT AGAIN!"


	8. Unsettled Business

~O~

"TRILLA!"

The group searched for her, storming through the forest. They were soaked, splashing through mud and leaves as they ran to look for Trilla. It was cold, the noises around them distorted by the storm.

Sienna had stopped only for a moment and felt the ground with one hand. She closed her eyes.

"She went here..." she whispered. "I feel it. Red colors. Angry..."

Cere was anxious; she was pacing back and forth, struggling to keep herself calm. Merrin put a soothing hand on her shoulder.

"We will find her, don't worry," she assured her.

Cal frowned toward the Venator-class Star Destroyer nearby. He started forward and the others eventually followed him.

"She came this way," he said, "The Echoes here are... They're like little whispers."

Sienna nodded in agreement. "He's right! She's here."

The way the Force around them twisted itself; it was like it reacted to something in the air, something terrible and perverted by shadow. Cere could sense it as she started into the ship first. Merrin and Greez followed along with Sienna and Cal.

"This is crazy!" Greez said, looking around. "A ship this big? She could be anywhere! Are you sure you know she's here?"

Sienna nodded her head, features wrinkling with worry. "I can feel it. There are strings holding her. Something's wrong."

Whispers in the air.

Cere looked toward the direction of them and was staring at a set of double doors that had been split open vertically from age and old wounds.

"Trilla!" she called.

She climbed through the doors, grunting with effort before nearly having a face-first encounter with the floor. Stumbling, adjusting herself, she noticed Trilla was kneeling on the floor, her head hanging low. Her hands were resting at her sides and she seemed to be swaying back and forth, muttering under her breath.

The darkness hindered a great deal of Cere's sight, but she quickly rushed up to her anyway, narrowly tripping in the process.

"Trilla!" she gasped, smiling with relief. "Thank God!"

She looked over her shoulder. "Guys! She's here!"

"Why did you leave me?"

Cere's smile disappeared and she looked at Trilla when she had spoken; so suddenly and so full of her familiar bite. It had been a long time since she'd spoken that way to any of them. In such venomous, cruel pitches that carried every bit of dangerous hatred.

The others had managed to fit through the door and made their way up to the scene. Cal had activated his lightsaber to help them see better.

"Trilla, what?" Cere asked, hesitantly.

Trilla chuckled darkly, still hanging her head low. There was a flash of teeth when she grinned. "I should have known. You abandoned me to this. You were lying. I know you were lying..."

Cere's features twisted. "T-Trilla, we... I don't understand. I didn't lie to you."

Trilla looked up at her now. The group looked stunned to see that her blue-green eyes had changed to brighter, almost pronounced red and bloodshot.

"Well, that would be the first time, wouldn't it?" she snarled.

Cere's eyes widened. "Her eyes...!"

When Trilla stood up and stepped into the light of the saber, the group noticed a thick tendril of pitch wrapped around her throat, long hands splayed across her shoulders and a parasitic worm draped across her back.

"Whoa, whoa! What is that thing?" Greez cried.

"A Taenia Worm," Merrin told them, surprised. "I've heard of them on Dathomir."

"What does it do?" Cere demanded, wanting answers.

"It controls your mind. It uses the darker part of yourself against you while feeding off of your body to survive. I - "

Trilla's features twisted, giving her a frightening, feral appearance. Her left ear seemed to be bloody. Sienna could smell it.

"Blood..."

Trilla snarled, reaching up with one hand to strike Cal first in the chest with a blow of Force; he was thrown backwards with a shout, striking the wall behind them.

Greez quickly rushed to help him. "Kid!"

"Trilla, stop!" Cere shouted, stepping between Trilla and the others.

The parasite attached to Trilla's back wriggled somewhat and Trilla tilted her head, her voice malicious. She was a puppet on its strings.

"You never wanted me back, did you, Cere?" she hissed, "None of you did. I see the way you still look at me. I'm beyond redemption!"

Cere shook her head, eyes focused and angry all at once. Her voice fought to find strength. "Trilla, that's not true!"

"Really? Because everything you've ever done has been to betray and hurt me." Trilla continued, without consequence. Eyes wide, teeth bared, she spat out her next word like an enraged animal. "TELL ME!"

Merrin started forward, but Cere's arm rose to stop her.

"Cere, that isn't Trilla talking." Cal was struggling to stand, dazed.

Trilla looked over at him. "You! Be quiet!"

She focused on Cere, who spoke now. "What do you want me to say, Trilla? That I've made my mistakes?" Her voice was trembling with emotion. "I know what I've done can never fix what I've broken."

"What you've done was no mistake, Cere!" Trilla advanced like a murderous storm and it forced Cere back a few steps. "What you've made was a choice! You CHOSE to let them torture me! You CHOSE to betray me to save yourself!"

Sienna had been silent during the entire thing, but her eyes filled when she sensed the anguish; the suffering and the rage coming from Trilla was nearly overpowering every sense.

"You were my MASTER!" Trilla spat, vicious in her words. "You were supposed to protect me! Protect those Younglings! And you chose yourself over us!" Her words were a low, vicious growl. "It should have been you instead of them!"

She clenched her fist and Cere suddenly dropped to her knees, choking. Her hands shot to her throat and she struggled to breathe. She was writhing against the Force in a effort to resist it.

"Cere!" Cal shouted. He looked up at the possessed woman. "Trilla, stop!"

He raised his hand and the Force froze Trilla for only a moment; she glared at him with another feral sound, her other hand seizing his throat as well with the wrath and hurt in her assault. He was forced to his knees as well and Merrin moved to help them.

But it was Sienna who moved first.

She held up a hand to Trilla's, resting it there at her wrist.

A gasp, a hateful snarl at the contact. Trilla's lips pursed with effort as she stared at the hand that touched her.

"Trilla, please." Sienna begged.

"Sienna, don't." Merrin warned.

Sienna shook her head, still focused only on Trilla. "No, she won't hurt me. Her anger isn't with me, is it, Trilla?" she said, gently. "You won't hurt me, will you?"

Trilla grunted, her tone a vicious warning. "Move." she ordered.

"You don't want to hurt them, Trilla."

"Actually, I do!"

Sienna tilted her head. "Do you, though?" she asked. "Will hurting them make you feel better? Will it return the Younglings? You're doing so well, Trilla. Don't stop now."

Trilla hissed at her, eyes wide and tears threatening to form. Her gaze moved from Cere to Cal with each word. "She let me suffer at the hands of the Empire to save herself and HE left me in that chamber to die!"

"They've done things. I'm not excusing what they've done to you," Sienna continued, evenly, "I know you're angry. I know you're hurt. You have every right to be. But you cannot let this little parasite control you. You're much stronger than this. I know you are."

Trilla stared at her, blinking rapidly now. The storm of struggle behind her eyes became apparent as she fought to resist. Sienna could sense it in the twist of colors and smile encouragingly.

Her hand began to relax just the slightest, but it was enough to release Cal and Cere from her control. They collapse to the floor, groaning in pain and taking several moments to breathe. Greez and Merrin went to their aid.

"Are you okay?" Greez asked, helping Cal stand.

"Y-Yeah! Yeah, I'm fine."

Merrin looked at Cere and the older woman gave her a nod of confirmation, though she was still shaken by what had happened. She was focusing on Sienna and Trilla as well as the parasite attached to Trilla's back.

Her hand shot out and immediately, the creature let out an unholy scream from the Force that seized it. Trilla lurched forward and gave a soft, choked gasp as her throat was freed from the parasite's grasp.

It became chaos as Merrin worked to trap the parasite in her magick before it could recuperate.

Cal and Cere hurried to gather Trilla's limp form into their arms.

She blinked in and out of reality as she was carried away by the others around her. She could barely make out the sounds of their voices.

"She's bleeding. Go!"

Trilla shut her eyes. She was tired.

Her body felt cold again.

O

Sienna was gently dabbing Trilla's face with a warm, wet cloth.

The woman had been resting in bed, eyes closed and still seemingly unconscious from the assault by the parasite. Merrin was giving her instructions on how to tend to her properly. The dried blood at Trilla's ear received attention. Merrin leaned forward to study it.

"A scratch here. She must have done that to herself to block out the noises." she explained. "It's been known to happen."

Sienna looked haunted. "That's terrible."

"Just be sure to keep her warm," Merrin said, "The worm can numb the body while it feeds and it'll take her some time to get that back."

Sienna nodded her head. "Of course. Thank you."

Merrin sighed and the two women existed the room. The parasite was dead, laying on the table of the common room. Greez was keeping a suitable distance from it and BD-1 had scanned the creature once before chirping.

Cal looked up when the two women entered. His expression was grave.

"Hey, how's she doing?" he asked.

"She's resting, now." Merrin told them. "The Taenia Worm drained her. She will need to recuperate for a day or so."

Cere was standing in the corner of the common room. She was staring at the creature, still shaken. It was difficult to tell what it was mostly from; Trilla's words, or the parasite itself.

"You said it's from Dathomir," Cal said, looking at Merrin.

"Yes." Merrin explained, "It controls its hosts and makes them fight. It's how it survives." She stared at the parasite. "When she said those things... It was the effect of its venom that manipulated her memories. Some of us have often harvested their venom on Dathomir."

"You used it?"

"No. Not me." Merrin shook her head. "This creature was so rare, it happened before my lifetime. They were harvested to extinction. And now... This may have been the last of its kind."

"How did it survive all this time?" Sienna questioned now.

"They can rest dormant for years until they find a suitable host," Merrin told her. "They feed on them because they can, not for nourishment. Some creatures exist only to hurt others."

The comment was certainly a somber one; Greez sighed and Cere lowered her eyes.

"I think we should get off this planet," Greez suggested. "The sooner the better."

No one disagreed with him.

Sienna turned to Cere now and the other woman took a seat at the table, staring blankly at the parasite. She sat down across from her, reaching out to touch the creature's lifeless body.

"I don't think she will ever forgive me." Cere said, softly.

"Probably not. Or maybe she will." Sienna replied. "These things can take time and some boundaries just can't be pushed right away. This thing brought out the darkness in her."

"A darkness that was put there because of me."

Sienna made a thoughtful sound and Cere frowned up at her.

"What?" she asked.

"Something occured to me when we were there," Sienna told her, "Something she said that sort of bothered me a little."

Cere shrugged her shoulders. "What is it?"

"She said something about the Younglings; how it should have been you instead of them," Sienna explained, her brow knotting with pain, "And I felt it. I felt the colors screaming. Something happened to them. Something she can't let go."

Cere didn't answer. It was clear that Trilla's words hurt her to hear; the hatred in them and the violence had done more to her than being struck by the Force.

"I'm going to check on her." Sienna told her. "Best we rest up for the trip."

She rose, made her way to Trilla's quarters. She found the other woman still seemingly asleep. As soon as she approached and placed a hand against Trilla's forehead, the other woman jolted awake, as if she had been electrocuted.

A strangled gasp followed and Sienna made an effort to calm her by struggling to grab hold of her shoulders.

"Trilla!" she gasped, "It's me! It's Sienna!"

Trilla recoiled from her, as if she'd been burned. "Don't touch me!" she spat, still somehow lost in the throes of the parasite's control. "DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Sienna put her arms around her head soothingly.

"Trilla, it's me!" she cried, over the frantic, angry sounds of Trilla's voice. "It's me. It's Sienna. Calm down, you're safe."

She cupped her face with two hands. A choked sound of rebuke from the woman and Trilla clutched at the hands on her face, almost as if to push her away. Her eyes snapped open and she looked at Sienna with a startled gasp. Her eyes were no longer red, but that same blue-green as before.

"What happened? What..." Trilla looked around wildly.

"You're safe." Sienna assured her. "We're back in the ship. We're leaving this planet behind us."

"What happened?" Trilla repeated. She shuddered a little, her voice strained.

Sienna tilted her head, troubled. "You don't remember anything?"

It took Trilla a moment to recall the events before she had awoken back in her bed; she remembered sleeping before that, then something...

Her mind began to recollect the event; she remembered sleeping comfortably after Sienna had offered the drink, then waking up first to the sounds of hissing.

Then opening her eyes and seeing the creature hovering over her.

Hearing her own cry.

Then shadows.

It had happened so quick and she had no time to really react against it.

She looked at Sienna and the other woman looked troubled. She wasn't used to seeing her look that way. It was strange somehow for reasons she didn't understand.

"I'll get the salve for you," Sienna offered, after a moment of silence. "It should help with your ear to keep it from getting infected. Do you remember scratching it?"

Trilla thought about that and looked down at her fingernails. Beneath them, she could see evidence of dried blood and skin that confirmed Sienna's question. It was always so easy to notice those little details - being trained as an Inquisitor guaranteed that.

Every single detail.

"No." she admitted. "I don't remember doing any of that. But my nails say otherwise."

Sienna was concerned, but the Force around her ebbed, reflecting nothing of it. She was good at concealing herself from others, of course. But Trilla still felt it.

"Is that worry, I see?" she questioned, her tone alight with amusement.

"Of course it is. Why wouldn't I be worried?"

Trilla made a note of disapproval. "You would be. You are my healer and only wish to see me get better. Your words, as I recall."

"Not just as a healer, you know." Sienna argued, quietly. "We are in this together, yes?"

"I suppose."

Trilla didn't feel so sure about it, even now. Her mind was filled with doubts about Sienna's true intentions, though less so compared to Cere's. But still, now that she was astray, a traitor to the Empire; perhaps she had to look at this situation with some positivity.

"I don't want to think about it." Trilla told her, with a small bite to her tone, "Seeing me that way must have been pitiful."

"No." Sienna replied, shaking her head. "It wasn't your fault."

Trilla shook her head, feeling the walls come up. She didn't like this conversation all of a sudden. Something about it was different.

Sienna seemed to understand it. She lowered her head, nodding once. "You don't have to talk about it, now." she told her.

Trilla's lips parted in surprise. Then, she nodded.

"Good, I wasn't going to either way."

"That's fine. I wasn't going to push you."

"You couldn't even if you wanted to."

The conversation was silly somewhat and it earned a small laugh from Sienna. Trilla raised her eyebrows and found herself chuckling quietly as well. What an odd feeling, but a pleasant one. If only for a small moment, she forgot the incident entirely.

"Well, I need to sleep." Sienna told her. "I'll bring you the salve and perhaps you should do the same."

"Fine."

Nothing more was said.

O

Moff Grus sat in silence, the memories echoing back at him. He was facing a mirror, wearing the helmet in the shape of the Barghest. His metal gloves had been removed and he wasn't looking at the heavily scarred flesh of his hands. But an officer had been staring. She swallowed thickly before speaking.

"Sir, the report is in." she said.

"Good." Moff Grus said, his tone even. "I want to watch it on screen."

The officer brought up holographic feed of Trilla's face as she had killed the pirate he'd hired to bring her in alive.

With an exception, of course. The pirate was quite happy to have the device placed in his eye.

Moff Grus chuckled to himself as he watched the video feed unfold.

"I'm sorry, sir. He failed to apprehend her." the officer said, certain she'd be punished in some way.

He shook his head. "Oh! Don't worry, I'm happy."

The officer looked at him, hesitantly. "Sir?"

"Yes. Now that we know exactly what we're dealing with," he continued, absently stroking his fingers across the edges of his mask, "She will find her way to me in time. I've spent this long searching for a way to earn my place back at the Emperor's side. She will be a perfect prize."

"Of course, sir..."

Nothing more was said.

He only looked at his scarred hands and remembered the fire.

The fire she'd caused.


	9. A Day Without an Accident

~O~

The Taenia Worm's corpse was properly disposed of by Merrin in an incinerator.

The Mantis had been hidden on the outskirts of Peka on Batuu and they'd chosen to keep a low profile for the time being. And Trilla still wondered about it - the effects she'd suffered from the creature. She approached Merrin as the Nightsister worked.

"Your memories were tampered with," Merrin spoke first before she could ask, "This was just an effect of the creature attaching itself to you for a long period of time. It made you speak things that you fear the most."

The idea both intrigued and concerned her. Her memories of the creature holding itself to her had been splintered.

"You said things to Cere," Merrin continued, glancing briefly at her.

The smell of the parasite permeated Trilla's nostrils.

"And?"

Merrin looked at her and Trilla found the Nightsister's stare to be odd; what sort of things had she said and why did she look at her that way?

"They were terrible things," Merrin said.

Trilla thought of those 'terrible things'. She still felt the rolling hatred through her bones when it came to Cere - a whisper, a snarl from a creature behind the cage. But there was hidden longing and grief somewhere in the shadows. A desire for the things that had been before her fall. It wasn't there before.

"I know that I don't understand what you endured," Merrin continued, "But Cere is trying to make things right. Like Cal Kestis."

"Maybe you shouldn't speak about things you don't understand, Nightsister." Trilla's tone was a cruel bite to it. "Stick to your little potions and Ichor."

Merrin raised an eyebrow and watched her departing back before calling back at her.

"You snore, by the way!" she yelled to her. "Like a Lanais field wench!"

Trilla ignored the insult. She stepped back into the ship and found Greez watering one of his plants. He looked up when he saw her and brightened.

"Hey! You mind helping me feed my kids?" he asked.

Trilla looked lost. "Excuse me?"

"The kids!" Greez gestured to the plants and the terrarium. "I like to think of these little guys as my babies, you know? They rely on me to feed them and without me, they'd just struggle and die."

"What an odd way to look at it." Trilla replied, wrinkling her brow.

"Yeah, maybe," Greez agreed, "But gardening has a way of calming the mind. Wanna try it?"

Trilla saw no point to it, but she saw very little else to do at the moment. After all, it didn't seem to be difficult and she had often noticed the Latero seemed pleasant for it.

"Fine. What would you have me do?"

Meanwhile, Cal and Sienna were outside talking with Cere; the little river town was quiet and peaceful, a good place to keep a low profile for the time being.

"This little place reminds me of Sorgan," Sienna said, with a smile, "It's energies are softer here. Family is important. I feel it in every color."

"Yes, it's nice," Cere agreed. "Maybe we can find something to do here."

Cal nodded his head. "It's a sort of crossroads, the kind of spot where everyone is too busy with their own business and secrets to worry too much about ours." he added. "It's perfect."

BD-1 chirped an affirmative and Cal laughed, patting the droid's head. "Yeah? You might meet some other droids here, too!"

Cal made his way back into the Mantis, leaving Cere and Sienna alone to talk.

Sienna looked at Cere, reading the very Force around her twist in her pain.

"You're hurt." Sienna said.

Sienna's voice was soft, soothing and urged Cere to speak; the other woman had that way about her and she saw exactly why Trilla opened up more to her.

Cere laughed quietly; a slightly strained sound that betrayed her emotions a little. "I'm fine, Sienna. I think it might be good to be here. All of this running around... I'm reminded of my trips with Eno."

"Oh? Was he your Jedi Master?"

"He was."

"Hm. Was he kind?" Sienna was interested, she couldn't help that.

Cere chuckled. "He was...firm, but fair, really." she explained. "What you might expect from a Jedi Master at the time."

"And what about you with Trilla?"

Cere sighed quietly through her nose. "Well, I tried to be different sometimes," she admitted, "But I guess I had my ways, too. I think I wanted to let Trilla know that she could be her own Jedi. She was eager to learn everything, of course."

Sienna smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah. I found her in the archives a few times reading up on old lightsaber forms," Cere continued. She paused, laughing warmly as she savored the memories. "She would play games with the Younglings, too. There was always trouble, but it was a more innocent time. Before..."

"Before the Purge..."

"Yeah..."

"It isn't too late," Sienna assured her, after a moment of silence.

Cere seemed to think about her words for a while. But she certainly looked a little hopeful, if only for a brief second.

"We should visit this little town," Sienna offered, "Have a moment to find some comfort in it. We could all use that, right?"

Cere nodded in agreement, smiling thinly. "Good idea! I'm sure we can find something on this planet."

Sienna entered the ship and found Trilla talking with Greez about the plants in his care.

"...so you just...?" she questioned.

"Yeah! Good, you're getting the hang of it!" Greez said, with a grin. "Told ya', huh? Really takes your mind off the stress of the day, knowing you're caring for something else."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Trilla's lips. It seemed that even so, she took pride in being able to do such a trivial thing.

"Trilla," Sienna said, approaching and kneeling down beside her. "How are you?"

Trilla looked at her. "Oh. Sienna. Hello. I'm fine as ever, I suppose."

Cere watched them carefully, making her way to the common room for something to drink. She was debating speaking to Trilla, perhaps. Trilla knew her old Master plenty enough to understand every detail and mannerism in her actions alone.

"If you have something you need to say, Cere, then say it and stop pacing around like an indecisive Tauntaun." she quipped, dryly.

The jab was harsh, despite the dry wit of it. It cut through the calmness of the air and Greez smiled nervously, glancing from Cere to Trilla.

"Alright," Cere forced resolve in her voice. "Sienna had an idea. We could all visit the town and maybe we could head to the Black Spire Outpost. We could rest here for a while and take our minds away from the Empire."

"I wouldn't mind something new to dress in, really." Sienna pointed out, gesturing ruefully to her own clothes, "I know I'm a bit worse for the wear."

"I think we should have some credits left." Greez told them. "Uh...unless you want to take up bounty hunting again."

Sienna was surprised. "Bounty hunting?"

Cere made a face. "Long story."

O

Greez peered into a massive jar where several Genteslugs were floating inside. An Ugnaught with one tusk missing and weathered work clothes watched him in silence for a moment, perplexed by Greez's stares.

"Are you planning on buying it?" he asked.

"This looks like a jar of Genteslugs," Greez said.

The Ugnaught nodded his head. "That's right. My family breeds them. We also make fungal wine if you're interested in that. I was heading to the Black Spire Outpost to sell some."

Greez leaned back with a smile. "Yeah! Haven't had a good wine in forever. I'm a bit of a cook myself. Just ask anyone on my crew."

The Ugnaught murmured thoughtfully. "Huh. Maybe you have some recipes to trade?"

"I might! How about you?"

The discussion between the two continued on while Cere and the others made their way around nearby. Sienna was standing still as Trilla discussed the various clothes to be sold at a stand.

"...this color wouldn't suit you," Trilla said, ruefully.

"Hm. A shame."

"As far as clothing is concerned, I have to say that it leaves much to be desired," Trilla told her. "Perhaps this Black Spire Outpost would have more to offer."

The vendor laughed weakly, walking up as the two turned to go; he held a scarf in hand. "Maybe this would be to your expectations!" he offered.

He held it up to Sienna, who sighed.

"Please, I'm blind, sir," she told him, "I can't see what you're holding in my face."

"Oh!" The vendor was mortified. "I'm so sorry I - "

Trilla took the scarf into her hands and made a thoughtful sound, interrupting his apology. "Hm, it's a red scarf made up of..." She paused, tilting her head at the vendor. "Is this Trevella cloth?"

The vendor chuckled sadly. "Yes, it...belonged to a friend." he said. "It hurts me to keep it, really. I think the color would suit the fair lady here, wouldn't it?"

Sienna made a small, amused note. "I suppose I'll need to take your word for it."

Trilla turned to Sienna and smiled thinly. "No, I think he's right. It suits you."

She circled the scarf around Sienna's shoulders and tilted her head to study her. Sienna ran a hand across the scarf with a small smile now.

"How does it look?" she asked.

"Good." Trilla replied. A pause. "Do you believe me?"

"You don't strike me as someone who would lie about something like that, really."

A small titter of amusement from Trilla and the noise sounded strange, even to her. She'd never laughed like that in a while.

Sienna tilted her head at the vendor. "I'll take it. How many credits?"

"Credits or trade will suffice!" He seemed happy to be rid of it.

"Thank you."

Once properly paid for, the two women ventured away to find the others. Sienna seemed quite happy with the purchase and ran her hands across the scarf to savor the feel of the fabric. Trilla found herself staring and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Pleased, are we?" she asked.

"Yes, actually. This is the first nice thing I've owned in years," Sienna told her. "I appreciate it. Thank you, Trilla."

A small smile lit Trilla's lips before she nodded once. She found herself floundering with such a simple word. It was ridiculous. It wasn't like her.

So she settled for a simple "Alright".

O

_"Again."_

_The Dark Master was there._

_Trilla was exhausted, her body wracked with violent tremors. Her mouth was shining with blood and she could barely stand. Every breath that she took sent fire through her lungs._

_She fought him. God, did she fight him._

_"She has spirit." the man in the black robes whispered in that dry, rasping voice that chilled her blood, "She'll be more difficult to break, won't she?"_

_Drip, drip, drip..._

_Trilla's blood pooled at her feet. Her eyes were shadowed in pain and hate. It choked her and she knew it was only a matter of time until it killed her._

_"Control." He hissed, from somewhere in the room. "Master your hate and use it, apprentice."_

_Trilla let out a scream of rage._

Trilla awoke with a startled gasp.

She was leaning against a tree, having fallen asleep with her arms crossed. She wiped her face with one hand and noticed the small tremble in it. It was hard to stop.

Scowling, she took her wrist and hissed down at it as if it were a petulant underling that needed taught a lesson in manners.

"Enough." she whispered, spitting out her words in frustration.

"Enough what?"

Trilla looked up, noticing Cere approaching her with a worried frown. She sighed, looked away and Cere tilted her head.

"Are you alright, Trilla?" she asked.

"Just a nightmare." Trilla replied, simply. Her tone was neutral once more. "Nothing to concern yourself with."

"I see. May I?"

Cere gestured to the place beside Trilla with a simple flick of her head. The other woman frowned suspiciously, but shook her head and moved so that Cere could take a place beside her.

She was uncomfortable, Trilla could sense it. But she seemed to desire to talk. Cere did a lot of that when she was uneasy. It helped to take her mind away from the fleeting, darker whispers.

She saw Sienna then, even as Cere was talking. The other woman seemed to be in the middle of a discussion with someone passing by. She was asking questions, surely; perhaps about how to visit the Black Spire Outpost.

"An AT-AT!" Sienna said, "Of course. Thank you."

"I think this might be nice for all of us," Cere offered, looking at Trilla with a careful smile, "We can all take time to ourselves."

Sienna approached them and the other three eventually joined. "We can take the AT-AT now while we have the chance," she said, "The Outpost is an hour away from here. It might be fun!"

"I got to pilot one of those things on Kashyyyk," Cal told her, with a grin.

"Really?" Sienna looked surprised.

"More like you got to crash one of them." Greez said, with a laugh.

"Alright," Cal said, with a good-natured grin. "Maybe I did crash it. But I knew how to pilot one. I did on Bracca, after all."

BD-1 chirped an affirmative.

There was a group of people filing into a painted, modified AT-AT along the edge of the town. Trilla led the Mantis crew into the vehicle and they found that inside had been changed to suit the passengers comfortably with cushions and curtains. Someone was speaking over the intercom, but she barely noticed when they sat down. Something about being careful and sitting still, surely.

"The smell, I could do without." she said, dryly.

A Wookie sat beside her, glancing down before letting out a low, warbling growl. She snorted up at the Wookie with a glare.

"Hey! I know what we can do to lighten things up," Greez offered, holding up a bottle of fungus wine. "Huh? Any takers?"

"I wouldn't mind." a man said, sitting beside him.

Drinks were passed around to several of the passengers and eventually, everyone began to sing. Well, mostly everyone. Trilla just remained there, perplexed by the song and the merriment around her. The song was a ballad; it was one that Trilla hadn't heard of, but most of them seemed to know.

_"At the edge of the galaxy_

_So far away_

_Black was the spire_

_That called me to stay._

_A beacon for drifters_

_Forgotten and lost_

_The spires summoned those_

_Broken and tossed._

_Come stay here forever_

_Or just pass on through._

_The spirit of Black Spire_

_Will forever change you."_

Sienna was smiling as she sang along with them, having eventually caught up with the lyrics of it. Her voice was ringing out of her in soft, gentle tones. It was the only one Trilla focused on. The camaraderie seemed to make her happy.

"You enjoy this." Trilla said, as fact.

"Yes, their colors are so vibrant and strong," Sienna told her. "They live together, different races, a family all their own. They shine like the sun." Her smile was warm now. "They're beautiful."

What an odd observation. But still, Trilla felt herself smiling and the trembling in her hand had stopped.

"I'm astonished that the noises don't bother you." she said. "I recall you mentioning how overloaded you can get when there's far too much sound going on around you."

Sienna nodded. "Yes, but it's different here. It's not harsh, cutting through the pools of color. I feel...at peace now."

Trilla thought about it.

For the moment, so did she.

O

The black trees surrounding the outpost received Sienna's attention.

She laid a hand over the old bark and shut her eyes. "This place is old. Very old," she said, "I feel its colors. Thriving in shadow and greys. It's seen much."

Cal nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I can feel it, too." he replied, in awe. "There's a spirit here after all. You think it might change us?"

Trilla made a face. "Somehow I highly doubt that."

She watched a Corellian wander passed her, drinking from a flagon and belching.

"Uh, we might have a problem, you guys." Greez's voice took on a warning tone.

They looked toward a bounty board posted nearby where he pointed. Trilla was among the few bounties listed and a few hunters were checking them.

"Well, it won't take these bottom dwellers long to catch on," Greez told them. "We gotta think of something to - "

Trilla let out a dry laugh and immediately, an old helmet was placed over her head.

She let out a start and turned toward Merrin, who smiled at her and stepped back to admire her handiwork. Behind her, the cart the helmet had been on was being pushed by a Twi'lek who hadn't noticed the theft.

"There. That could help." she said.

Trilla sighed and thrust her hands in the air. "Really? This helmet reeks of sweat! You couldn't think of anything else to put over my head?"

Sienna grinned. "There are times like this that I wish I could see." she murmured, giggling.

"Yes, we're all amused." Trilla snapped.

Sienna tilted her head toward her. "Actually, I think it's a good idea. Keeping your face hidden for now might help us through the Outpost. I never fully mastered Force Persuasion. So I can't really help keep them from focusing or recognizing you."

"Force Persuasion?" Trilla's voice lit up with amusement. "That I would like to see, sometime."

"Well, for now, you should stay at my side. I can keep you shielded with my abilities."

Cere smiled, nodding her approval. "Good idea."

Cal looked at Merrin. "So, you want to go check out the Cantina?"

Merrin smiled. "Of course."

Trilla let out a short laugh as she watched them go with Greez following. Sienna smiled a little at the sound and Cere even noticed.

"What's that laugh for?" Cere asked.

"Nothing. I find it charming, really." Trilla told them. "The Nightsister and the Jedi Padawan. It's quite amazing that nearly killing him brought them together."

"He's not a Padawan now. He's a Knight." Cere explained. "I made him a Knight before we broke into the Fortress."

"Oh!" Trilla's voice was light with mockery. "My mistake, then. The KNIGHT and the Nightsister. Such a fetching couple!"

Sienna stood beside her as they made their way into the crowds of people through the market.


	10. A Night Out

~O~

Trilla was thankful, in a way.

The trip was fine and she didn't feel on edge this time. The company was fine, as well. Sienna didn't chatter aimlessly like the others. She preferred to keep quiet for the most part with that constant, deeply contemplative look on her face.

Trilla watched many pass them as they ventured into a toymaker shop, owned by a Toydarian. She was flying around, humming a small note to herself before she noticed the two women. Her accent was thick when she spoke.

"Welcome! Good to see you!" she greeted, "My name is Zabaka. I haven't seen you here before. Are you new to this planet?"

Sienna smiled. "We haven't been on this planet before, Zabaka. But it's lovely to meet you."

Trilla's helmet caught the Toydarian's eye. She regarded the taller woman with a thoughtful sound and her wings fluttered.

"Hm, what's wrong with her?" she asked. "Too shy?"

"I can assure you, that's far from the case." Trilla said, her tone a hiss.

Zabaka shrugged her shoulders and ventured around her shop's center table. The tone didn't unsettle her. "Well, you two look far too old for my toys. But if you're looking to buy for someone else, then look no further! I have only the best! My toys are the most popular in the system!"

"Hm...well, you clearly put effort." Trilla replied, studying a figurine of a Bantha.

Sienna could feel every surface of them as she ran her fingertips across the toys in the little table. She smiled and nodded.

"The colors are brighter behind my eyes, but shimmering in shades of rainbows and hues. You take pride in your creations." she said. "You love them."

Zabaka chuckled, nodding her head. "I guess that's an interesting way of looking at it, Miraluka."

Sienna looked sharply at her. "You know what I am?"

"Well, I did see a Miraluka come through here. She might still be here at the Cantina." Zabaka said. "Only a few species can see things like you do and describe them that way."

Sienna blinked, eyes widening with pleasure. "Really? I've never met another Miraluka before. Are you sure it was one?"

"Quite sure. Dressed funny. Had her eyes wrapped up and everything."

Trilla looked down at her, a bit taken by the burst of emotion. She'd never seen Sienna like this before.

Sienna looked at Trilla and the excitement in her voice made her tones ring out sharply, but beautifully. "Trilla, we must go see!"

She eagerly made her way out of the shop and Trilla sighed impatiently, her hand taken and nearly dragged out with her.

"Sienna, honestly!" she griped, "Slow down! We don't even know what sort of Miraluka she might be or if she is still here."

Sienna laughed, embarrassed. She tucked a stray hair behind her head and took a moment to relax. "Yes, yes, of course. You're right. I'm sorry." she said, "I lost myself for a moment. I've never been able to meet another of my kind except when..." She swallowed thickly. "well, my father."

Trilla could see why she would be so delighted with the thought of it. When they discussed the matter of her father, it had clearly revealed feelings that the other woman had forced herself to push passed. Of course she'd be so eager to meet another one. It made sense, really.

"Then let's go." she said. "Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to look for a moment. It wouldn't surprise me to find a stray wandering through the mire of this place."

Sienna grinned. "Thank you, Trilla."

The genuine happiness on her face was delightful, in its way. Trilla normally wouldn't have wasted her time with such a search and nor would she have indulged in matters like this. But times had been different and perhaps giving Sienna a chance to be reacquainted with her kind was a boon she could extend to the other woman for all that she'd done.

The Cantina was filled with various species and droids. Trilla could see nothing in particular that caught her eye and Sienna kept a hold on her arm as they made their way through the crowd. She could see a pilot droid functioning as a DJ and loud, obnoxious music filled the air. It was curious that Sienna wasn't bothered by it. Perhaps her mind was focused on finding the Miraluka.

"Do you see anyone here? A Miraluka will often keep their eyes covered." Sienna explained.

Trilla looked around and noticed no one like that. She approached the counter where a Blutopian female was serving drinks. When she noticed Trilla, her eyes narrowed somewhat in suspicion.

"I don't remember your face here." she said.

Trilla straightened where she stood. "I'm looking for a Miraluka woman. I had heard rumors she had passed here. Have you seen such a woman?"

The Blutopian's tentacle mouth flicked once. She patted the counter with one thick hand. "No one goes through here without me knowing," she said, "Miraluka's are hard to find these days. Most of them are long dead by now."

Sienna made a face. "So, she was here."

The Blutopian looked at her now with a chuckle. "Yes. She passed a few hours ago. You just missed her."

Sienna smiled sadly. She was disappointed, but clearly not surprised. "I see. Well, unfortunate. But I'm not surprised to hear that. Thank you...?"

She was curious about the name of the Blutopian.

"Oga Garra."

Trilla could sense the suspicion from the Blutopian and the authority in which she carried herself. She knew how the Black Spire Outpost was ruled and the scum who answered to her. It took only seconds for her to understand who this was.

"Well...perhaps we could still enjoy the day," Sienna was quick to change the subject, "Let's find the others then, shall we?"

Trilla nodded in agreement. She was tense again and didn't care for how Oga was watching them. The Blutopian seemed to lose interest momentarily for another human; one who owed her a debt, no doubt. Given the way he pleaded for more time and how she certainly held herself.

Problems always found their way to her for those foolish enough to try. She expected it to happen.

O

The group sat together at the Milk Stand down the street from Oga's Cantina.

The stall was small, but quiet with only a few guests being served by an Aqualish male. Behind the counter was a cooling tank.

Trilla studied her blue milk with a thoughtful note. It wasn't the most appealing to her, but it tasted fine. She was growing used to these curious things.

"...so you didn't get to meet her."

"No, I'm afraid not."

Trilla glanced up at Sienna in the middle of a discussion with Merrin. The Nightsister seemed sympathetic to her situation and Sienna just seemed to accept the fact that she wouldn't have a chance to get in touch with her Miraluka culture. This had clearly happened many times.

"Don't worry. We'll figure something out. Maybe we'll meet more on the way." Cal offered.

Sienna smiled and nodded, though it was clear to Trilla that she was used to such disappointment.

Trilla looked up at Cere. She was content with discussing another matter. "In your travels hiding from the Empire, did you happen to hear of an Oga Garra?"

Cere furrowed her brow. "Not really. This is the first time that Greez and I have been on this planet."

"Hm." Trilla tilted her head back toward the Cantina. "It's obvious who's calling the shots. The Blutopian in the Cantina."

Greez nodded his head. "Yeah, I think I heard around that she's in charge."

Cal shrugged his shoulders. "Alright, so we just stay low and don't give her a reason."

That seemed to be the most logical way to go about it; Trilla didn't have any argument and she would certainly agree that the wisest thing right now would be to keep a low profile. It wouldn't do to stir up unnecessary problems if there didn't have to be.

O

The Cantina was alive with music.

Sienna was rubbing her palms together - a self-comfort gesture that Trilla had caught her doing a few times in their time together. She was growing restless by the sounds around her. That was not difficult for her to miss.

"...And I was there!" a Twi'lek was sharing a story with Sienna and she was focused on him intently. He seemed to be swaying in a drunken state. "It hit me! I had to go here to the Black Spire!"

Sienna chuckled quietly, raising an eyebrow. "Seems like you did just that, didn't you?"

The Twi'lek took a long drink from his flagon before grinning. "I like you, you're a good listener!" he said, "You a doctor, or something?"

"Healer, yes."

Merrin was sitting on the other side of her, studying her drink. She tilted her head, then looked down at her hands.

"My fingers feel strange." she said.

The Twi'lek crowed with laughter, slurring in his words. "Zabrak women! Can't handle the good stuff!

He let out a hiccup before groaning and passing out on the floor. Merrin smirked and took his flagon, taking a long drink of it. She glanced at Sienna and shrugged her shoulders.

"What? It's best to watch them fail at their own game." she said.

Sienna chuckled.

Trilla was watching everyone behind her helmet, focusing on potential threats. As far as she was concerned, they were far from a challenge for someone like her. Her instincts told her that threats were everywhere regardless. An Inquisitor never let their guard down around an unknown element.

_You're not an Inquisitor anymore._

_You're a traitor._

_Because they saved you._

"Trilla." Cal said.

She turned her head to him now. "What?"

"Look, I know it's hard," Cal told her, "But we're here to relax, okay?"

BD-1 hopped off of his shoulders and onto the counter, scurrying over to Trilla's side. He let out a small beep and she sighed, tapping her fingers rhythmically against the surface of the counter.

It was precious that he was attempting some sort of camaraderie with her given everything; she knew how uncomfortable he still was with her and how distrusting. She was no fool to the lingering stares.

"Relaxing has never been my strongest suit," she said.

Cal chuckled. "Yeah, history proves that."

"What do you mean by that?" Trilla's tone was an edge.

Cal smiled. "Come on. It's a joke. You know."

Trilla leaned back somewhat, gauging his sincerity. "Oh. Well...of course. You and your infamous wit." she quipped. "Seems to be contagious amongst your crew as well."

The group started sharing stories as the evening went on. Trilla was barely paying attention as she drank a flagon of her alcohol of choice. It was difficult, really; sipping it from the bottom of the helmet to avoid removing it entirely.

"...Sharing problems, origin stories, secrets." Sienna said.

"Can't I just sit here and drink?" Trilla sighed, impatiently.

Merrin smiled, nodding. "Alright. I'll start," she told them, "I once punched a Nydak in the face to protect one of my friends."

Cal grinned at her. "Really?"

"Yes, really. My friend had a crush on me for a month after that."

Trilla shook her head. "I can imagine..." she said, her tone a drawl.

Sienna laughed before clearing her throat. "Alright, I'll go next." She thought about it for a moment before speaking. "Um... I used to steal ships."

A few looks from them. Cere grinned, tilting her head. "How'd you pull that off? I mean, with your Jotaz always with you?"

"Fang provided a good enough distraction for me to just walk in." Sienna told her. "I would pay someone to take the ship and sell it for credits. They never saw a blind woman as a threat. I used that to my advantage and I did that until I found my home on Sorgan."

"Wow." Cere raised her eyebrows.

Cal grinned now, into the game. "One time, Prauf and I were at the Cantina on Bracca - "

"Bracca had a Cantina?" Greez joked, laughing.

Cal let out a short laugh in response before continuing. "Well, sometimes we'd take these cruisers out on the scrapyards and race. We ended up crashing them into an old AT-AT and found one thousand credits stashed in it."

"Interesting share." Sienna replied, with a grin. She looked at Trilla. "Alright, so... Now, you go, Trilla."

"Me? Oh, God, no. I won't indulge this ridiculousness."

The others certainly seemed intent on knowing about her. Even Cere looked curious to understand what she'd been up to after joining the Empire. Did they truly want to know anything about that, really?

"Just say what's on your mind." Sienna offered.

"Other than how uncomfortable this helmet is?"

A chuckle. "Yes, other than that."

"Fine." Trilla cleared her throat. "Once, I cut off a officer's head for speaking out of turn during a meeting." Off of their uncomfortable looks, she smiled. "When I spent my first day as an Inquisitor, I was with several politicians who stood at the side of the Empire. Authority and power are what they respect. Fear is a tool you employ to get them to see you as you should be seen."

A moment of uncomfortable silence had passed. Sienna cleared her throat now and nodded. "Well..." she began, delicately. "That's a good... That's a good start, Trilla. You're sharing with the rest and that is what matters."

Trilla gave a low chuckle in response. Well, perhaps this wasn't entirely terrible after all.

O

Sienna held her hands out.

Trilla held them over hers, palms down.

"What do I do now?" she asked her.

Sienna tensed her hands and grinned, quickly smacking them over Trilla's. The other woman grunted with a small, unconvincing "ow", regarding her behind that helmet with annoyance.

"What was that?" she snapped.

"It's a game I used to play with Fang," Sienna insisted, "I called it 'hot hands'. The point of it is to hit your hands before you could quickly pull them away. It tested my senses when I was little!"

"I...suppose I can understand that," Trilla's tone suggested otherwise.

"Come. Try again!"

Trilla sighed, raised her hands. "Is this another attempt to calm my - "

Another swat and Sienna laughed. "Your hands tensed. I have sensitive hands and I can sense even the slightest change in your muscles."

"I see..."

Trilla was perplexed by the playfulness of the other woman, but she had a few drinks and perhaps this was the Sienna who was just under the effects of too much of it. It was charming, in a way, yet she still saw little point in the game for her.

Cal and Merrin had chosen to step out onto the floor and dance to the music the droid had been playing. They were laughing and despite the younger man's ridiculous attempt at dancing, the Nightsister seemed to be having fun in his arms.

O

Greez whispered something in a human woman's ear.

She let out an indignant scoff and slapped him before walking away.

"You ask a lot of questions."

"I'm curious about you. I don't get to meet many Miraluka half-breeds."

Sienna was sitting beside a Nagai woman now, talking with her while Trilla sat with Cere. She couldn't help but listen to the conversation and how it was going.

"I'm curious about you, too." Sienna said. "You have a nice voice and I've never met a Nagai before. You can ask me questions, if you like."

"Alright." the Nagai said. A pause. "Why are you so angry with your father?"

Sienna's smile disappeared somewhat. "I don't understand the question. Why would you think I'm... Ah, you're a telepath."

The Nagai chuckled, nodding her head. "I am. Our species are naturally gifted with telepathy. And I - Oh! I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be rude. You did say I could ask and I assumed you knew what we could do."

Sienna sighed. Trilla could see that she was regretting saying that.

Interesting.

"...I'm not certain I can explain it to you." Sienna quietly said, taking a sip of her drink.

"You loved him, but you're angry at him." the Nagai continued, sympathetically. "He deprived you of something, but you mourn him for his death. Why?"

"Maybe..." Sienna sighed heavily through her nose. "I didn't even get to know my mother. I don't even know her name. He never wanted to talk about her. He gave me a human name instead of the name I was meant for. I know he meant well, perhaps. But..."

She laughed, swallowing down a small sound of emotion. "It's the drink. It's making me share far more than I need to."

"I'm sorry. You told me I could ask questions," the Nagai said, hesitantly, "I didn't know that they would hurt to bring up."

"I know I did. The things you ask are just...very personal." Sienna rose now, her smile shaken. "Excuse me. I need air."

Trilla moved as well, following behind her out into the night. Sienna walked a bit away from the Cantina and found a Bantha tied up nearby. She was petting the animal when Trilla approached her.

"Seems I'm learning a little of your secrets every day." Trilla said.

"I'm not so very complicated, Trilla," Sienna told her, with a hollow smile. "There isn't anything to hide from you."

Perhaps a part of that was true, but Trilla could see that Sienna's attempts at serenity didn't always work for her.

"Have you thought of it?" Trilla questioned. "Hunting down the man who killed you father?"

No response. Sienna's features had darkened now and she had an unfocused look to her expression. Trilla's tone took on a slight edge as she spoke and she felt the coldness seep back in. The scar on her back burned slightly at the corners.

"If it had been been me, I would have done more," Trilla continued, with a soft hiss to her words, "I would have done nothing but searched the universe for that pathetic, evil, death worshipping piece of fith and killed him. Sent him to the very hell he put you in."

Sienna furrowed her brow, lips parting. She looked troubled. "You're deflecting again."

Trilla snarled, ripped the helmet from her head. "I'm not speaking about me, Sienna. I'm talking about you! Or does your healer code prevent you from harming another life? You truly live never wanting to avenge him?"

"I never said that."

Trilla frowned now and noticed Sienna's smile was sad.

"When it happened, all I wanted was to kill my father's murderer," Sienna told her, quietly. The melody of her voice took on a broken note. "To make him suffer. To deprive him of a life as he did me. I wanted it more than I wanted to breathe. I wanted to take every feeling I've ever had and give that to him. Tear his mind apart with it."

Trilla was silent, watching her face.

A sigh now. Sienna shut her eyes. "But I know if I did that..." She hesitated, swallowing thickly. "I know if I fell down into that Dark where black and red bleed... I won't come back from it."

Trilla gave a short, humorless laugh in response. She didn't know what else to say.

Sienna looked close to tears, but she simply took a deep, shaky inhale before her voice was neutral once more, filled with that constant serenity.

"Wherever my father's killer is, I only hope justice finds him." she said.

Trilla remained quiet as she considered Sienna's words and the new bit of information she had been given. The healer who had spent time with her struggled with her own temptations to darkness. It only made sense, really.

They were alike, in that way.

Sienna tilted her head, letting out a small, thoughtful note.

"What are the stars like tonight?" she asked.

An odd question and one that had Trilla staring at her strangely. "What?"

"My father used to tell me how the sky looked every night," Sienna explained, "Sometimes it relaxed me." She smiled a little. "Indulge a blind woman, please."

Trilla looked up at the sky. "I suppose if I must." She paused, tilting her head. "The clouds are gone now and there are a bit of bright colors. Blues and violets. Oh! A shooting star."

Sienna grinned. "Really? That's always my favorite part."

"Valara is brighter, too." Trilla continued, watching her delighted expressions, "I don't think you can see the other from here."

Sienna was clearly happy and more calm from the description. "Thank you, Trilla."

Once again, Trilla floundered with the word.

So once again, she said "alright" in a quiet voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title is inspired by the song "Only a Woman's Heart" by Eleanor McEvoy


	11. Peace in Our Time

~O~

_Trilla was sitting at the end of the desk._

_The officers were talking together, celebrating her conquest while she observed the sight with a smile and nod. They were happy with her first task and impressed with how one so young could have done what she had done. She had made a mark for herself among the Inquisitors and Empire from the very beginning._

_Her helmet was new, clean and polished. Everything about her spoke volumes of an Inquisitor of the Empire._

_"We should be proud to have one serve the Empire as you do!"_

_Trilla smiled slightly in response, relishing the praise._

_A man at the far end of the table suddenly punched it with one fist, interrupting the chatter around him. Every eye was focused on him now._

_One of the officers scowled now, affronted by the action._

_"Aegon!" he spat. "What's the meaning of this?"_

_"The meaning of this?" the officer's cold look focused briefly to Trilla, then to the others. "I see nothing but a joke."_

_Trilla's eyes were impassive, but her lips thinned._

_The man was older - a Vice Admiral who had clearly seen his share of battle and understood the ways of war._

_And he had an issue with her. She knew it._

_"Aegon, this is highly inappropriate to - "_

_One of the officers started to argue, but Trilla's hand calmly went up in front of him and he looked at her nervously. She stared at Aegon calmly, her smile bordering malicious._

_"It's alright," she said, her tone low, "Vice Admiral Aegon clearly has an issue he'd like to address. He should be allowed to express himself freely in this chamber."_

_A few uncertain looks from those at the table. They knew that wasn't true and they knew that Trilla was baiting Vice Admiral Aegon._

_The older man regarded her, eyes briefly uncertain. He rubbed his hands together before he seemed to muster up a foolish bit of courage._

_"We conquered as we should and true, you have fought as He said you would," Aegon told her, "But your arrogance has cost us soldiers! You would sooner see them die first!"_

_Trilla let out a small titter, perplexed by his words for a moment. "Well, yes. Their lives are expendable. You should know that."_

_"And we take the advice of a young whelp?" Aegon spat. "An unfit, emotionally immature Jedi who - "_

_Trilla imemdiately stood up, walked over to his side of the table and activated her lightsaber. Without pause, she cleaved his head cleanly from his body. It earned a collection of horrified cries around her and the various officers scattered from their seats, watching as the lifeless, smoking body fell to the floor._

_"Second Sister! Why would - "_

_"Oh my God..."_

_Trilla looked down at the corpse, tilted her head with a small sound of amusement. "A Clawdite. How predictible."_

_The officers were still frightened as she calmly walked back to her place and took a seat. They didn't seem to understand how to handle the matter._

_"I thought as much; a Clawdite rebel who somehow found his way into our ranks and you didn't notice?" she said. "Hm. Pitiful. And tell me, how long have you been doing this?"_

_They were looking at each other, floudering with their words and embarrassed by the error. Trilla shook her head, leaned back and crossed her legs as she regarded a holographic detail of a report in front of her._

_Those around her still didn't know how to react to what had happened._

_Trilla just smiled and looked at them from the tops of her eyes. "Anyone else want to question my competence?"_

_Quick confirmation; shakes of their heads, murmurs of assurance that there would be no further arguments._

Trilla shared the story with Sienna while they were sitting in the small, but comfortable living quarters of the inn they were staying in. Sienna seemed to be impressed with her tale.

"So, you didn't just cleave a man's head off under the guise of outrage because he spoke out of turn?" she said, with a chuckle.

"I would have, even so." Trilla replied, a thin smirk lighting her lips.

Greez stepped into the living quarters and looked around. When he spotted Trilla, he grinned and approached her. "Just the woman I was looking for!" He approached her. "Listen, I need a favor."

Trilla leaned back and studied him with a trill of amusement. "Look at you asking for free favors."

"I need some advice and I need it from someone who isn't afraid to be brutally honest!"

"Favors are Cal Kestis' thing. Not mine."

"I need brutal honesty here and let's be honest," Greez laughed weakly, "The kid's good, but that's not his strong suit. I need someone tall, scary and intimidating to stand next to me while I bargain for a birthday present for Cere."

Oh. Her birthday. Trilla hadn't thought of it.

Sienna looked at her with a smile. "Her birthday! I had no idea!"

"Yeah, and I need you to keep it secret for me." Greez told her.

"You have my word." Sienna assured him, with a nod. She patted Trilla's hand once. "Go on, then! It could be fun."

Trilla rolled her eyes. Well, she was bored sitting there most of the morning, so perhaps she could indulge for now.

She couldn't resist wondering just what Greez was getting for Cere, anyway.

O

"You look plenty scary to me."

Trilla was wearing her helmet, the long coat and button shirt as well as her long boots and trousers. At first glance, she did appear to anyone else as an intimidating presence. She valued this, in a sense. Those who feared, showed respect. She knew this from her days as an Inquisitor.

"Good." Trilla replied, "Now can you please explain where we are going?"

Greez smiled. "I found a guy who's willing to sell me a present I looked at for Cere. Hey, did you know it was her birthday today?"

Trilla shook her head. "No."

"Oh..." Greez sucked his teeth. "Sorry."

"It's fine." Trilla tittered with amusement. "Don't trouble yourself about it, Latero."

Greez made his way through the alley with Trilla following alongside him. He glanced up at her with a hesitant note before speaking.

"You know, she was the first to go out there looking for you," he told her, "When you were taken by that parasite worm. She didn't even hesitate. She just ran out there and she was determined to get to you no matter what."

Trilla let out a short laugh in response.

"I know," Greez continued, grimacing, "It's not my place to talk about that kind of stuff. I know she did wrong by you and she's spending every second of her life making up for it. I know it'll probably take a lot for things to be okay."

Trilla didn't answer. Her mind was filled with distractions, dark whispers.

_Will it ever be okay?_

The Dark Shadow was laughing in her head.

"Hey! We're here!" Greez said, pointing.

Trilla looked up and noticed an Abyssin standing at a stand filled with trinkets and various other clothes for sale. He was straightening up a few things before he noticed Greez and Trilla approaching him. He laughed and shook his head.

"So, you're back," he said, "Have you decided what to get your friend for her birthday?"

"Yeah, and I brought one of my friends to help," Greez told him.

Trilla folded her arms across her chest and leaned forward to study everything laid out. Greez started searching a small shelf. He made a triumphant sound, picked up something from the table and turned to Trilla.

"Hey, I think I got it!" he said.

Trilla looked down when he held up the item to her - a small statue of a Jedi. She took it in hand, turned it around for study and looked at the Abyssin.

"This is an artifact from a Jedi temple. Made up of one of the long-forgotten Muntuur stones." she said, "Where did you get this?"

"Is it real?" Greez lit up.

"Oh, it's quite real," Trilla was still looking at the Abyssin. "A curious matter, really; how an Abyssin at a shady little corner market would come across an artifact used for meditation."

The Abyssin chuckled, sensing the tension now. "Hey, I got it from a Miraluka who traded it to me for a lot of credits. I'm just looking to make some extra here, okay? I don't ask questions."

"Miraluka?" Trilla tilted her head with interest.

"Yeah, big scary fellow," the Abyssin continued, hesitantly. "Wanted to trade a bunch of stuff for credits to get somewhere. But that's it. Uh..." He laughed weakly. "So, can we make a deal?"

Greez grinned, nodding. "Yeah! I got a good bit of credits on me. How much?"

"Five hundred."

"You're kidding me!"

Trilla folded her arms across her chest now and the Abyssin glanced at her briefly. He gave a nervous smile and looked down at Greez.

"I can bargain down a...little?" he offered.

"How about three?"

"Come on. A guy has to eat here. This is a real artifact."

"Three fifty?"

The Abyssin glanced up at Trilla and despite not seeing her face, he had clearly grown uncomfortable. "Four fifty."

Trilla continued to stare.

"Three twenty five." Greez told him.

The Abyssin hesitated, still watching Trilla. He nodded after a moment and handed the artifact to him. Greez exchanged the credits with a grin on his face. and walked away. Trilla followed alongside him and noticed how happy he looked.

"Thanks for sticking with me," he said, "I was worried for a second that there'd be a problem with that guy. You know how it is in this alley."

"I can see that." Trilla replied.

She glanced down at the artifact and reached out with one hand for it. Greez shrugged and handed it to her so that she could study it.

"So, what do you think?" he asked. "Cere might like it, right?"

Trilla turned it around in her hands, feeling every rough ridge of the stone. She could sense a thin connection to the Force with it. It was carved in the likeness of some long forgotten Master, no doubt. Someone she probably didn't care to know.

But a Munturr Stone? That was interesting.

"I believe she may find some delight in it." Trilla replied, "It's a...considerate gift."

Greez nodded with a grin, surprised by her compliment, but happy with it. "Thanks! I don't know much about Jedi stuff. That's also why I wanted you to come with me."

"I have no further interest in Jedi relics. I am curious, however, about the Miraluka who sold it to him," Trilla said.

"Huh? Why?"

Trilla was silent as she considered this.

"No particular reason that you need to concern yourself with."

O

Sienna held Cere's hands.

The older woman's eyes were shut as she struggled to focus on the Force around them. Merrin was meditating nearby and curiously watched the scene after a moment.

Sienna had her eyes closed and she sighed gently. Cere opened her eyes and shook her head, pain lighting her expression.

"I'm sorry. I can't. Not yet." she said.

Sienna nodded her head. "You're struggling with your own rage. Like Trilla. I see a lot of the same pains in you."

Cere smiled sadly. "Yes. It's hard resisting the Darkness. But I have to keep trying."

"Yes, you're right..." Sienna replied, hesitantly.

Cal took a seat beside them and looked at Cere reassuringly. "Hey, don't worry." he told her. "We're all in this together."

Merrin nodded in agreement. "She's right."

Cere looked reassured to an extent. Then, her eyes caught sight of the scarf around Sienna's neck. She looked at Sienna curiously.

"That scarf's new." she said.

Sienna blinked, then laughed and ran a hand across the material. "Oh! Yes, Trilla bought it for me."

At that, they stared at her. Cal blinked before glancing briefly to BD-1.

"Huh." he said.

The tone interested Sienna, who tilted her head in his direction. "What?"

"Trilla doesn't give gifts. It's - " Cal began.

Greez entered the living quarters, interrupting the conversation. Trilla followed behind him, grunting as she removed the helmet with a sigh to follow. Sienna smiled now when she sensed them enter.

"You're back!" she said, "Did the two of you have fun?"

Trilla shrugged her shoulders. "We did find a Jedi artifact that - "

Greez threw his hands in the air with a disappointed groan. "Ah! Come on! You spoiled the surprise!" He looked at Cere and handed her the offering. "Well, I guess... Here. Happy Birthday."

Cere blinked, surprised as she took the gift. "My what... Oh, I'd forgotten about that."

Trilla had said nothing on the matter. Really, she didn't feel much when it came to the older woman's birthday.

"Cere! We should do something!" Cal said, "If it's your birthday, we can always - "

Cere shook her head. "It's a nice thought, Cal. And I appreciate it." she told him. "But I think this will do. It was a thoughtful gift, Greez. And I think we can all benefit from it, too."

Sienna was curious about it. "Really? How so?"

"Muntuur stones aided the Jedi in telekinesis," Cere explained, "This little artifact was carved from one of them. It's strange, really. I've never seen one of the Seven Stones carved into a small figure like this. Someone must have taken one of the stones and broken off a piece for themselves."

Trilla glanced briefly to Sienna before nodding. She had a feeling about its origins and how it'd come to pass, but she wasn't sure just yet. Perhaps it wouldn't do to think much about it for now. At least, until something else came up.

"Birthdays are important," Sienna suddenly said, breaking the silence, "We should still try something for you, Cere. My father used to spend the day doing whatever I wanted to do while we were on Zeffo."

Trilla raised her eyebrows, amused. "A walk through the ruins, perhaps?"

Sienna grinned, laughing gently. "Something like that." Then, she shook her head. "Well, one of my birthdays was spent with the Phillaks and learning to ride them."

"The Phillaks?" Trilla quipped. "Quite surprised you didn't end up butted from a cliff."

Sienna smiled, shrugging. "Well, they have poor vision. So we learned to get along, in a sense."

She seemed to think of something and Trilla watched her features slowly soften. A distant look came to her then and she sighed quietly through her nose. The memories clearly made her happy, but also wounded her.

O

Cere twirled the lightsaber about.

Trilla watched her as she trained with Cal once more - he was a Knight now, but still seemed to enjoy the training sessions with her. They were there once more at the Mantis near Peka, away from the Outpost where she could spend her time free of the ridiculous helmet and prying eyes.

Sienna took a seat beside her. Trilla glanced down at her briefly.

"How are you doing?" Sienna asked.

"Fine as ever." Trilla replied.

Sienna smiled. "I'm glad to hear it. I've made another batch of brew for you to take before you sleep." she told her.

Trilla didn't answer. She was focused on the hum of the lightsaber that Cere wielded. The way it sung in every swing. Her lightsaber.

The crystal within it whispered and hissed.

Sienna could sense the change in the air, the distress coming from Trilla.

"I don't understand much about Jedi and their ways," she said, gently, "But the lightsaber frightens you, doesn't it?"

Trilla scoffed slightly. "Don't be absurd."

"Alright, perhaps there's another word to use..." Sienna mused. "Unsettled?"

Trilla sighed through her nose. Truthfully, she knew what it meant to hold that lightsaber again. She knew the feelings that would come back and the memories with it. How it had gone through hell and sought blood for its pain.

She remembered what Sienna had told her. To go through that pain.

She closed her eyes and heard the whisper.

Don't look.

She didn't notice when Merrin had joined them. Her mind was filled with distractions once more as she fought to keep the Dark away.

She could hear someone screaming...

"When I lost my sisters to the Jedi, hate was all that I knew," Merrin was speaking now, her eyes distant. "I used my hate as a weapon."

Trilla smiled a little. "I'm certain you were a force to fear."

Merrin nodded. "I was. Until I realized that hate would not bring back my sisters."

Suddenly, the sound of a shout drew their attention. Cere quickly deactivated the lightsaber and they spotted a Dugar dugar sprinting passed them. A man was helplessly attempting to chase after the deer-like creature.

"Stop!" he cried, "Bucktooth, STOP!" He looked at the others pleadingly. "Please, catch him. He's already been through so much. He's scared!"

"Hold on! We're going to get him!" Cal promised.

Cal and Cere took off after the animal. Sienna and Trilla stood there for a moment. Merrin raised her eyebrows and shook her head.

"Do we...?" she wondered.

Trilla sighed, long and loud. "Must we?"

Sienna nodded. "Well, yes. We should."

O

Cal held out two hands to the Dugar dugar.

The animal was agitated, letting out a low, bellowing sound. BD-1 was nervous, beeping frantically. Cal looked back at the droid, lowering himself a little to look as non-threatening as possible.

"Hey! Hey, it's okay!" he soothed. "Everything's alright. We're just going to get you back to your owner and you'll be okay."

Low grunts, hooves pawing at the dirt. Cal looked over, spotting Trilla and Sienna making their way on the left side of the animal. Cere and Merrin were nearby as well, reaching out with cautious hands.

"Guys!" Cal whispered, "Slow! He's gonna - Oh, no."

He ducked out of the way to avoid the charge of the creature; antlers ready to pierce. He barely managed to avoid getting gored by it. Trilla watched with a grin and a laugh, shaking her head.

"Seems that little simple animals are beyond you, Cal Kestis!" she hissed.

Cal looked up at her from where he'd fallen, an annoyed glare on his face. Trilla looked up, watching as the Dugar dugar reared its head with a loud bellow. She studied every detail of its body; noticing scars along the side of the creature - marks from acid. She was familiar with the torture.

"Someone hurt you," she told the animal, "Didn't they?"

It let out a huff, eyes wide and focused on her.

"And that man tried to help you, but you're too scared to be helped." Trilla let out a small chuckle, reaching out with one hand.

A low bellow and it lowered its head, ready to charge. Cere shook her head frantically.

"Trilla, he's going to charge you!" she warned.

Trilla just continued to watch the animal - seeing the details of its history before her eyes. The way it pawed the ground, stared at her with fright and rage.

A caged animal.

Beaten, abused.

She saw a thin cord of rope hanging lose around its neck. She reached out slowly, carefully.

"You belonged to someone, didn't you?" Trilla's voice was softer now as she took a step forward. "And they hurt you. But no more. You are free."

Sienna smiled her approval. "That's it. Keep talking to him, Trilla." she encouraged.

Trilla nodded her head and took hold of the rope. The creature was still agitated, shifting anxiously back and forth on its hooves. It watched her carefully, letting out a few heavy sounds of distress. She reached out with her free hand and it leaned away from her for a few moments. When she was finally able to lightly brush her fingers against its nose, it gave a few more gruff sounds before finally stilling slightly.

A flinch when Trilla ran a hand down its neck. It seemed calmer, however. She smiled a little.

"There we are," she said, "Easy. It isn't so terrible, now is it?"

Someone rushed toward them and they looked over, spotting the owner of the animal struggling to breathe as he caught up. The Dugar dugar huffed, letting the man pat its sides. Trilla watched him for a moment and he grinned, happy.

"Thank you so much!" he gasped. "The poor thing's already been through too much!"

Trilla nodded her head. "Yes, so it would seem..."

"I hate to ask," he said, looking at them, "Would you mind helping me take him back to his pen? I'll gladly pay you credits. I need to fix up the gate quick. It'll only take a minute or so."

"Sure!" Cere said, taking a quick look at Trilla. "We'd be glad to help."

He smiled. "Thank you!"

Trilla looked up at the animal. "Come along."

She led it with one hand on the rope. Sienna followed at her side and the others were not far behind. Sienna looked at the man now.

"This creature," she said, "I sense razors cutting through every contact. It's been hurt before."

He nodded his head sympathetically. "Yes. Bucktooth was abused by his previous owner. I brought him in when they arrested him. I've been spending my days trying to get him to open up. And you did so in just a short time."

Trilla was aware of the stares. She ignored them and ran a hand across the creature's back. It jumped once, as if startled by the contact. Sienna soothed it with a gentle sound and Trilla glanced briefly at her for a moment, watching her face.

Sienna smiled a little.

Perhaps it sensed a kindred spirit in her.

O

"Quite a way to spend your birthday, huh?"

Greez and Cere watched from the fence as Trilla and Sienna walked with the Dugar dugar in the pen. Sienna was saying something that had Trilla frown impatiently. But she shook her head with a small note of disapproval with Sienna had clearly said something meant as a joke.

Cere chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. "I think it's fine, Greez. Couldn't have asked for a better one."

She was just happy now; happy to see Trilla smiling a little.

"...and I just grab that...?" Trilla gestured to the feed bag that she was offered by the man.

"Yes, you grab that."

"Oh... it smells terrible. Why don't you wash it?"

A grin from Sienna and a giggle. Trilla sighed and took the bag. Cere chuckled as she watched the exchange; the taller woman looking to Sienna and the man for advice on how to properly care for the deer. It was rather endearing to witness.

"...so I just...?"

"Yes, hold your hand underneath and... good!" Sienna encouraged.

Trilla's lips twitched in a smile. She was clearly pleased with the approval.

Yes, this was a fine birthday gift.


	12. An Endless Blade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
> 
> \- Matthew 9:13

~O~

Sienna was standing quietly the entire time.

Merrin was scanning rows of clothing with a few thoughtful sounds. Cal was with her, scanning the shelves for clothes as well.

"Sienna, do you have an idea of something you like to wear?" Merrin questioned.

Sienna furrowed her brow thoughtfully. "Hm. I don't know. I never thought of it," she replied, "Whatever has been comfortable usually works for me." She wrinkled her nose. "And no Bantha wool. It makes me itch fiercely."

Merrin approached her with a blue dress shirt. She held it up to her and made a small note of disapproval before shaking her head.

"I cannot see blue being your color." she admitted.

Sienna held up her arms, confused. "What's wrong with what I have? It's a silk weave dusk cape. It's practical."

"Yes, but there's nothing wrong with wanting to look a bit nicer at times," the owner of the shop suggested, with a smile and a wink. "I think I have something for you."

Sienna shrugged her shoulders before chuckling. "I suppose." she agreed. "Alright, I wouldn't mind trying out a few things."

Merrin smiled her approval. "We will find something suitable for you, I'm sure."

Meanwhile, Trilla and Cere were shopping with Greez for food; Greez had a complaint for everything regarding the freshness of the meat he wanted for his kitchen.

"The Scazz, when did you have it brought in?"

The owner - an annoyed Devaronian glared at him. "It's all fresh."

"You sure?" Greez asked. "Because I gotta tell ya', it's got a sweetness to it. Scazz shouldn't smell sweet. And I don't want my crew getting sick and puking all over the place."

Trilla made a disgusted sound. "We should all be thankful."

A man had been nearby, listening to the conversation. He tilted his head slightly when he listened to Trilla's voice from the helmet.

"...I wouldn't eat Scazz anyway. Far too greasy for my tastes."

"Ah, fair enough."

When it came time to depart, the man spoke. "You ever been to Tatooine, mystery woman?"

Trilla stopped now, sensing the conflict churning somewhat. She let out a small chuckle and didn't look back at him.

"And what if I have?" she questioned.

Cere and Greez stopped as well, glancing back at the conversation. Trilla could see concern on Greez's face and Cere was immediately on guard.

The man was older, grizzly and wearing body armor. Trilla could see a blaster at his side.

"I heard rumors of an Inquisitor who had hunted down a Jedi named Bas and murdered him at the square of Mos Eisley." he said, "I saw footage of that Inquisitor." He showed his teeth, whispering severely. "It was YOUR VOICE."

Trilla faced him completely and the two behind her were tense. They were ready to defend themselves if need be. She certainly could do the same. He didn't appear to be much of a threat. But even a wounded animal knew how to tear its predator apart in the right circumstances.

"That man you killed was my friend." he whispered, taking her silence as confession. His hand reached for his blaster, shaking.

Trilla eyed the hand that trembled, waiting for the precise moment to make her move.

She could see bounty hunters who had stopped to show vague interest in the confrontation. Each corner was focused on. Every cell in her body was alight with energy. She was ready.

"Then what will you do?"

Trilla whispered now, her tone that playful maliciousness that Cere immediately recognized. Her eyes widened and she slowly shook her head.

"Trilla, wait - "

The warning came far too late and for a split second, Trilla had been distracted by it. She heard the same warning in the far corner of her mind - a softer voice from a being she'd forgotten.

The man fired from his blaster quicker than any outlaw anyone had seen; a blast ripped through Trilla's shoulder, drawing a shout of pain and rage from her. Blood had already begun soaking through her jacket from the blast.

She grabbed her arm and came back with it soaked in crimson. Looking down at her hand, she shuddered with several short breaths before tilting her head at the man.

"Very well, then."

The crowds that had formed watched the fight, interested in seeing who would come out of it alive. Cere shouted at Trilla to stop and Greez was worried about those watching. Too much attention drawn to them meant someone was bound to notice and that someone could eventually bring the Empire to them. It would mean Sorgan all over again.

"This isn't good!" he yelled, above the noise.

The man fired several rounds from his blaster and Trilla moved swiftly; she seized a large piece of scrap metal and raised it over her, deflecting each shot with expert precision. The blasts ricocheted off of the metal, narrowly taking out a few patrons in the process.

Trilla hissed with effort, flipping through the air and tossing the metal scrap at him. He scattered to avoid it and she was upon him, swinging her leg across his hand.

He gave a shout of pain, scrambled to retrieve his blaster. But Trilla wouldn't allow it.

She hissed out again, took his wrist when he moved to retrieve it. He let out a sharp cry when she twisted his arm back.

Some were cheering for her, others were shouting in their native languages. Trilla wouldn't allow him a second of reprieve.

Her first instinct was to choke him with the Force; let him feel all of her suffering for his asinine assault.

But they were surrounded by bounty hunters and the filth of the universe. It would be a display of arrogance that would lead to a fight that they didn't need.

"Hey, come on!" Greez shouted.

Trilla watched him toss the blaster aside and chuckled when he tossed it aside, raising his fists with a stance to follow that she recognized.

"I've seen that stance before," she said, "You trained at the Royal Imperial Academy, didn't you?"

She was pushing a button he didn't seem to like and grinned behind her helmet. It was rarely difficult to find what wounded those around her the most - be it foe or comrade. But when she found it, she hammered it home until they crumbled.

It worked. He withered now, as if caught. His eyes scanned the faces around them, listened to the whispers. A certain fear came and went like lightning; Trilla could see that the watching groups had stirred at the mention of the Empire. There was no love for them here.

Cere was tense. Greez was tense.

Then, they heard chatter and looked up at the sight of Stormtroopers making their way through the outpost, talking with the local store owners. There were a lot of them and one was holding a bounty puck, bearing Trilla's image. They were talking amongst one another.

"...She's been spotted here on this planet."

"Alright, we spread out and keep the Outpost on lockdown."

The man had stopped his assault on Trilla for the moment, eyes widening when he noticed the approaching Stormtroopers. He quickly hurried away.

Cere spoke through her wrist COM. "Cal? Merrin? Sienna? We have a problem..."

O

Cal and the others had hidden themselves behind the shelves of the shop, watching Stormtroopers pass by and occasionally question those in passing. So far, it didn't seem as if they knew where they were. But that wouldn't last very long.

"Yeah, we see 'em..." he whispered, into his COM, "They're talking to everybody."

_"Are you guys safe?"_

"For now." Cal said, glancing briefly to Merrin and Sienna.

"What do we do?" Merrin questioned. "There's too many and we're surrounded by opportunistic bounty hunters. We're outnumbered."

Meanwhile, Trilla and the others watched an officer step through the group Stormtroopers. She was wearing a clean grey uniform brandishing the Barghest patch on her left arm. Her boots were pristine, her gloves black leather. She was smiling pleasantly at them.

"Good morning!" she greeted, as if they were all old friends, "I'm sorry for interrupting the daily humdrum of your lives, but we're here because we've tracked a dangerous traitor to the Emperor. The Second Sister. Surely you've seen the bounty, yes?"

A few odd looks. A couple of confirmed nods and whispers.

"Well, Moff Grus has grown more intent on seeking her out," the officer told them all, "The reward for her capture has doubled. He is willing to pay one million credits to the one who can take her alive."

That certainly seemed to interest everyone around them; Trilla, Cere and Greez carefully watched the delighted expressions of greed cross their faces.

"We need to go. Now..." Cere whispered.

They began to slowly make their way from the crowds and the movement caught the officer's eyes. She smiled thinly, tilting her head.

"You there!" she called, "You're bleeding."

Trilla paused, glanced down at her arm before she chuckled. "Yes, so it would seem. I should find myself a doctor, then."

"I see." the officer continued, "How unusual for one so infamous for speed to simply allow herself to be hit that way. Isn't that right? Second Sister?"

Trilla had started walking once more, but stopped. Cere and Greez looked at her with concern. They knew what was going to happen next.

"Oh, damn." Greez muttered, shoulders slouching.

O

They were running.

Throngs of bounty hunters chased down the trio as they hurried their way through the Outpost to escape. Cere was yelling into the COM, but Trilla was focused on leading them to safety. Fighting them all when they were hell-bent on credits...

Trilla scaled a wall, seizing a metal pipe to launch herself into the air. Cere and Greez watched as she sprinted along the rooftops.

"Trilla!" Cere shouted, "What are you doing?"

"Holding them off!" Trilla shouted back. "You meet up with the others!"

"I don't - " Cere groaned when Trilla pressed on without them. "Come on, Greez!"

She didn't want to abandon her, Trilla could see the indecision on her face. But the bounty hunters had shown no interest in them once she pulled away onto the rooftop and she could handle them. She knew that.

"Come here, Second Sister!" a Twi'lek snarled, like a hungry animal. "I want those credits!"

Trilla yanked the helmet from her head and whirled, flinging it back at him with the Force that carried every bit of her rage. It cracked against his face, splintering the screen into bits and blinding his eyes.

He recoiled with a scream of pain and Trilla grinned wickedly at the sight of the fresh wounds pouring blood down his face in rivers.

"Pity!" she growled, with vicious glee.

"She got me in the face!" the Twi'lek wailed, letting out several anguished sounds. "She GOT ME! I CAN'T SEE!"

The other bounty hunters took a moment to pause and watch the Twi'lek drop to his knees, whimpering as he held his blood-soaked face in two hands. One of them - a Devaronian - let out a fierce sound and stomped toward Trilla, armed with a glowing, heated knife.

She chuckled, tilting her head. "Oh? You want to play, do you?"

Meanwhile, Merrin and Cal led Sienna into the Cantina where Oga Garra was kneeling over a fallen Stormtrooper. She looked up when she saw them enter and aimed her blaster at them.

"Whoa, wait a minute - " Cal began.

Oga snorted, pointed it beyond them to another Stormtrooper in the shadows. She took the shot and it went through his chest, dropping him to the floor with a dying groan.

Sienna smiled in relief. "Thank you!" she said, "That's - "

"Not so fast," Oga said, firmly. She leveled the blaster at them now. "I should shoot the three of you for bringing this Empire to my doorstep."

Cal nodded his head. "I get it, yeah. You're mad and I don't blame you." he agreed. "But we can fix this. We can get them off-world and you won't see them again. It's Trilla they're after."

"Yes, I heard about your Inquisitor friend," Oga shook her head with dismay, "And how she betrayed them. News spreads faster than a rash around here and it always gets to me. The Emperor could shit in another galaxy and I'd hear about it before it happens."

Merrin made a face. "Charming image."

"How much is her bounty?" Oga studied a holographic display at her wrist. She let out a small laugh. "One million credits? Hah. I could make that in my sleep."

"So...what do we do?" Sienna asked. "We can't let them have her."

Oga advanced onto them, eyes narrowing. "I don't like Inquisitors, even traitorous ones," she whispered, "They're greedy and blind to anyone beneath them." She paused. "But the Empire above them? I hate even more. Whatever it takes to rid these vermin from my planet, you have my help. But ONLY for that long."

Cal smiled now. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me just yet," Oga said, firmly. "Let's go."

They rushed outside and several Stormtroopers were already advancing toward them, shouting orders.

Oga hissed, aimed her blaster at them and took several quick shots that dropped them before they could pull their triggers.

"Nice shot." Merrin remarked.

"Trilla!"

They looked up when they heard Cere shouting and quickly hurried toward the sound of her voice. When they approached the crowds, they found Cere locked in combat with several of the bounty hunters below; she was determined to help Trilla on the rooftops, no matter the cost.

Greez was taking shots with a blaster. The entire thing was chaos.

Sienna suddenly sniffed the air and her eyes widened. "Why do I smell oil?"

A Devaronian locked in combat with Trilla looked down at the puddle at his feet that had been knocked over from the fight. He grinned, at her and she hissed with effort, holding back his arm wielding the glowing hot knife.

"I can keep back the fire, Inquisitor scum!" he hissed, "I wonder... are you fireproof too?"

He tossed his knife to the pool, igniting the oil in a brilliant blaze of fire. Trilla jumped back to avoid being burned, forced back by the heat and smoke. The others watched the two combatants below with bated breath.

"Finish her!" someone shouted.

"Kill her!"

Trilla watched the Devaronian, her eyes nearly yellow in the glow of the fire. Cal watched it happen; a change came over her, like it had many times they'd dueled. He saw the grin, the show of teeth and the wide eyed stare.

She held out one hand and the lightsaber that Cere wielded was forced out of her hands and into Trilla's.

And that's when they heard her scream.

O

She surged through the blaze with a primal roar, lightsaber cleaving through the Devaronian before he had a chance to muster up a scream of his own. Cal and the others could only watch in muted shock as Trilla spun through the air in a blur, cleaving bounty hunters in her path in a shower of sparks.

One of the hunters attempted to gun her down with two pistols. She spun the lightsaber in a blur, deflecting each shot before lunging at him with one hand.

Seizing his face, she slammed him to the ground with enough force to crack the stone. He was still, forming a pool of blood beneath his corpse. She surged through the Stormtroopers, cutting every single one down in her path and making her way toward the officer, who watched on in horror.

Trilla was coming for her. She saw the flash of her teeth, the wide-eyed grin and the terrifying wave of Force power emanating from her.

Moff Grus didn't warn her about this.

"Trilla!"

Sienna's voice cut through the silence and the officer started to scream, but Trilla's lightsaber was suddenly frozen, inches from her face. She stood there, trembling, breathing heavy. The hum of the weapon was the only noise around them. It was so loud and she didn't dare look at the yellow eyes glowing behind locks of black hair and shadows in front of her.

The officer blinked, stunned to see the other woman making her way up and putting her arms around Trilla's shoulders.

"Stop, please." Sienna pleaded, her voice shaking.

Trilla didn't move. She looked to be in a state of catatonia. It was like holding a statue.

Cere watched the scene with unease and Cal wasn't speaking. No one could move or breathe. The officer and the silence that followed was agonizing. A few other beings had been drawn to the chaos and watched the sight. Oga Garra was silent as well, just observing.

The officer breathed heavily, eyes scanning for help she knew wouldn't come.

"What are you waiting for?" she spat. "She's here! Take her!"

"Counter offer," Oga told the watching hunters who still remained, "Drive this Imperial dog from my house and those who do will get free drinks at my bar for life and be my second."

That certainly seemed to be the offer for them as they were advancing on the Imperial officer now. She gasped, turning and running as they gave chase.

Sienna released Trilla, turning so that she could properly stand in front of her. The others began to approach and noticed that the other woman hadn't moved yet. Cere looked concerned and looked at Trilla. The other woman's lips were forming soundless words that no one could make out at first.

"She doesn't look good. Something's wrong," Greez said, hesitantly.

Sienna touched Trilla's hand that held the glowing lightsaber. It seemed to work because the woman suddenly let out a strangled sound, blinking sharply and dropping the weapon, which deactivated it upon landing to the ground.

"Trilla!" Sienna let out a smile of relief. "Thank God. You scared us."

"I... You're here?"

"Yes, of course I am." Sienna let out a breathless laugh.

Trilla looked around sharply, struggling to come back to herself. She noticed the dead around her, blinked rapidly before looking at Sienna. She noticed the heavy, pocket vest that she was wearing, white shirt, the grey trousers and scarf. It reminded her of a Corellian traveler.

"I'm alright," Trilla said, with a tired smile.

"I smell blood. You're hurt, aren't you?"

"It's just my arm. Nothing serious. I've suffered worse."

Cere nodded her head. "We can get this cleaned up." she piped up, taking a moment to look over Trilla's wound.

Trilla straightened and looked back at Oga, who had been watching the entire thing unfold. "And what do you have to add, Blutopian?"

"What I HAVE to add is that you have just enough time to leave my planet and never come back," Oga warned, "What happened here will probably bring more attention than either of us need. So go. And if I see you again - "

"We get it." Cal promised her.

O

The ride back to Paka was a somber one.

The AT-ST wasn't full of singing and merriment as it had often been; many of them maintained their distance from Trilla and the others. They refused to look or associate with them. Cal was watching the way they were shifting, attempting to start conversations with one another.

Trilla was sitting while Sienna held her arm with one hand and held her hand inches over her wound. She was focusing, eyes closed and lips parted. Trilla watched her in silence.

"There's a red light flickering here," Sienna said, softly as the wound slowly began to close. "It's soft, but sharp in the distance. Old pain opened and bleeding..."

She felt the sting of it; when she'd touched the lightsaber for the first time in so long it had seared her, scorched her very soul before she'd lost sight of the world around her.

The shadows screaming.

Filling her head with their rage and pain.

Trilla shut her eyes, shaking her head rapidly.

"I'm tired, Sienna. Just let me rest." she said, her voice more hoarse than she'd intended.

Sienna was disappointed to hear that, but nodded once.

She said nothing more.

O

Cere was looking at the deactivated lightsaber, her expression rigid. Merrin was watching her for a moment before she spoke.

"She froze out there," Merrin said, quietly. "What do you think happened?"

Cere looked at her briefly, swallowing hard before she answered. "The crystals we use for our lightsabers become an extension of ourselves," she explained, pausing briefly when she looked toward Trilla; the other woman had fallen asleep against the wall of the AT-ST. "What happens to a Jedi, happens to their lightsaber. It's a part of you, wherever you go. It sees and endures everything you do."

Cal watched her as she spoke. BD-1 let out a sad booping sound.

"The things that happened to her..." Cere shook her head, eyes closing, "I see it every day when I take on the burden."

"Is that why she didn't want to take it again?" Merrin questioned. "These...burdens you talk about. They had to be terrible for her to avoid it."

"...Yes."

Later, Sienna had joined the pilot toward the front of the AT-ST; an older Corellian man with dark skin and grey hair. He was wearing black farmer's robes.

"I'm sorry," she said, with a small laugh, "I just... I thought I could talk with you for a moment."

He shrugged his shoulders and gestured to the Loth-cat sitting on the other pilot seat. "Sure. I don't usually get many talking to me. But I don't mind the company."

Sienna blinked, felt around for the seat and the Loth-cat gave an irritated yowl before hopping down. She made a face and the man scoffed at the animal.

"Stripes, hush!" he snapped. Sienna took a seat and he looked at her apologetically. "Sorry."

A chuckle from Sienna. "That's alright." She looked somewhat apprehensive. "I'm sure you've heard about what happened at the Outpost. I wanted to apologize to you for that."

He looked at her incredulously. "Huh? What for?"

"Well...disturbing the peace of your lovely home," Sienna was perplexed by his behavior.

He crowed with laughter. "This is Batuu. If I had a credit for every time something disturbed the peace, I could walk right up to the Emperor himself and ask for a new AT-ST."

Sienna laughed, a little relieved. "I see."

"So...Jedi. I thought all of you went extinct or something."

"Oh! No, I'm not a Jedi," Sienna explained, "I'm a Miraluka. Well, half, anyway. We're naturally attuned to the Force."

The man made a thoughtful sound, but didn't reply.

"That doesn't bother you?"

"Lady, I've made it my point to keep my nose clean and worry about who's paying me," he assured her, "Jedi or not. None of my business. Just keep on your best behavior while you're here and we're good."

"Of course," Sienna said, with a gentle laugh.

She rose now and departed to find the others again. She could hear the sound of a Rodian child screaming happily as he played with his father. She paused then when she returned to her seat and felt around when she found that Trilla was not there.

"Trilla?" she said.

BD-1 chirped up at her and she contemplated waking the others to help. But the little droid bumped her leg and she grunted slightly.

The droid rushed away, little metal limbs clicking across the floor. She was led further down toward the dimly lit section and could barely make out sounds of soft whimpers. Frowning, she rounded the corner.

Trilla was sitting on the floor, holding her head with both hands and hunched over, letting out several small, anguished whimpers of distress. Sienna's brow wrinkled and she knelt down in front of her, reaching out with two hands and taking hers.

It drew a visceral reaction from Trilla and she looked up with a short gasp, stunned to see the other woman there.

"Trilla, it's alright," Sienna said, gently. "You're safe."

Trilla shuddered, taking a moment to breathe before she spoke. "That's debatable." she quipped, a grunt to follow as she shifted to get comfortable. "I lost myself when I took hold of that saber! Even if it was to protect - "

Sienna blinked, tilting her head at the way Trilla abruptly cut herself off.

She set her jaw, looked away. Her eyes misted.

"You need to believe me, woman." she said, quietly. "No matter what sort of salves you create, no matter the talks we have, nothing will change. I'm a monster. And you cannot fix that."

"I see..." Sienna sighed again. "I don't believe that I'm helping you, Trilla."

A frown and Trilla was stunned by the defeated tone from the other woman. The notes were hollow and sad, something Sienna only had on rare occasions.

"I - " she began.

"I've thought about how often I've tried," Sienna continued, looking away briefly before she continued, "I told you to confront the pain and it didn't work the same way it would anyone else. But I think that's because I don't have an understanding of Jedi ways and how you carry such burdens through your lightsaber. You were right. I don't understand a thing about it."

Trilla blinked rapidly. She briefly looked away, uncertain she cared to look at the emotion on Sienna's face. It was almost too much. But she herself felt raw, bleeding on the inside where the Dark had found its way back and hissed such wicked things.

"And I want to understand. I truly do!" Sienna told her, "But I need to see what happened. I need to feel what you felt. Perhaps then...maybe I can help. I know you feel like a monster, but that isn't who you are. That isn't what defines you."

Trilla stared at her. "Are you sure?"

Sienna nodded her head. "Yes, I'm sure. That's what I've wanted to do," she said, "That's what this journey has been about. Getting to know you and know how to help you."

Trilla stared at her with wide eyes, gauging her sincerity. She knew that Sienna wanted that. She knew that the other woman was kind and even foolish in her way. It was endearing in itself, even if she was uncertain of it.

To see her pain through her eyes. It would be easy to show her.

"Very well."

She reached down, took Sienna's hand in hers. And she focused.

Sienna sat there, feeling the Force reach for her. Trilla watched the journey on her face; subtle confusion, slowly followed by a wide-eyed grimace and eventually, tortured anguish as THAT DAY came to her and the feelings that came with it. Trilla gave a hollow smile, forcing the hot lump down her throat as she watched it all unfold on her face.

Tears fell down Sienna's cheeks and the only noises that came from her were soft, shuddering breaths.

Nothing else was said. She only endured.

BD-1 took a place in Trilla's lap and beep sadly.


	13. Whispers

~O~

_Blood._

_Trilla was strapped to the chair, the vices squeezing her arms and legs so tightly. She couldn't feel much after this round of torture. She was just exhausted and prayed she would just give out from it. Why did she still fight them?_

_Why after everything Cere had done? She was just so tired._

_His voice was there again._

_"This one is strong. Her spirit has resisted us for such a long time. She will make a fine soldier. We only need to find what will break her."_

_Trilla felt herself forced from the chair, made to grip the lightsaber. She barely saw her torturers through the red haze of pain._

_Metal arms grabbed her wrists tightly, the bones aching. Bruises left for certain._

_She smelled blood in the room. The metal floor was frigid on her bare, blistered feet. The air was too sterile and overwhelmed her senses._

_"Okay, do it."_

_She felt the sting of it - the lightsaber's kyber crystal was howling through her very core. Songs of blood and death that wasn't her own. Someone's lightsaber had seen hell and she responded to it with an anguished sob. It hurt her._

_It was someone familiar. She felt its bite cut through her very fiber._

_"What... What are you...?" she moaned, head rolling on her shoulders. Her voice was hoarse and her throat dry. It hurt to speak. "What are you doing?"_

_"She responds well to it." someone whispered, fascinated, "Clear the range and bring in the Wookie. Now. Quickly."_

_Trilla struggled to focus on the movement in the room, letting out another moan. "What are you doing?" she panted, struggling to breathe. "Where are the Younglings. JUST TELL ME!"_

_No response. Just constant chatter from her torturers. Amusement on their faces._

_She looked up, eyes widening and breathing quickening when she noticed a Wookie urged into the room. He was weak, frightened and confused and he looked to have been malnourished from imprisonment. His fur hung in clumps, his eyes sunk into his head. Every movement he made seemed to require great effort._

_"Now, you will run this Wookie through." the voice instructed. "Utilize the lightsaber and send him to whatever God they pray to."_

_Trilla blinked, shaking her head rapidly. "No, I won't do that! No, I won't!" she spat, struggling violently when she was released from the table and forced to stand by two troopers. "To HELL with all of you!"_

_"Have to use the prod again."_

_Trilla looked up when another trooper stepped forward with an electrical prod and jammed it into her side. Electricity ripped through her already exhausted body. She folded to the floor with an agonized groan, spitting blood from her lip._

_"We can keep doing this as long as it takes, little Jedi," the voice above her crooned; she felt the shadow, smelled the foulness of his breath, "Maybe we should bring in the other one then, hm?"_

Trilla opened her eyes, no longer in that cold torture chamber.

Instead, she was sitting in a field of blossoms, legs crossed as she took in a slow, deep breath. She was alone while the others were inside the Mantis, discussing ways to keep themselves hidden from the Empire. A part of her felt this endeavor was foolish; the Empire would find them time and time again no matter how often they ran and hid away.

Their trip had brought them to the planet of Lothal; hiding there in the grassy fields beneath towering walls of rock.

The breeze was calming.

She thought of what had happened and the scar at her back ached again. The Black Spire Outpost had brought on more chaos and she reunited with her lightsaber to save herself and to protect...

"Trilla."

She blinked, looked up as Sienna approached her. The other woman was still wearing that outfit from their time on Batuu. Trilla had to admit that it suited her better than robes. She still wore the scarf as well. It made her smile a little.

Then, she wondered what Sienna had been thinking when it came to the things she'd seen in her head. Sienna hadn't brought it up, but something about it was on her mind, Trilla could see that.

She felt the walls go up again.

Change the subject. She had to.

She couldn't think about it without struggling to breathe.

"Your outfit of choice is better than those dusty healer's robes," she quipped.

Sienna chuckled, nodding. She seemed a little on edge. "You believe so? The tailor said the same, but I can never be sure. I don't think on these things."

"Do you want me to describe how you look?" Trilla tittered at the idea.

Sienna smiled a little. The idea seemed to interest her.

Trilla chuckled, studying Sienna for a moment before she described her.

"You have a thin, angular face," she explained, "Your skin...it's like bronze, though a touch lighter than mine. Your hair is an ash brown color. You are broad in your shoulders, some muscle there, as I can see." She leaned to one side to better look. "Mesomorphic figure... You possess some form of upper body strength which may suggest you've done heavier work before becoming a healer or you routinely trained on your own before you met us."

Sienna smiled and shrugged her shoulders. She looked a bit surprised by Trilla's description of her and momentarily embarrassed all at once.

"You make me sound lovely." she said.

"Well, should I have said something else?"

Sienna sputtered with amusement. "No I'm...just not accustomed to hearing such things."

Trilla made a thoughtful note, but said nothing else on that matter. It wasn't a surprise, really; Sienna had told them that there were those who looked at her with pity. But still, the woman was stronger than what they said.

She wasn't aware that her hand had been trembling a little and she only noticed when Sienna said something next.

"Are you alright?" came the gentle question. "You're shaking."

Trilla laughed a bit. "Yes, I'm fine. A little weakened from my fight on Batuu. I haven't fought like that since they pulled me from the Fortress. Don't worry. I've endured far worse than this. Though I didn't sleep well."

"Neither did I." Sienna replied, and immediately, regret came to her face.

Trilla stared at her.

"You know what I mean, Trilla." Sienna looked apologetic. "I saw what you showed me. What happened that day. Surely you know that wasn't - "

"DON'T." Trilla's tone was severe. She grimaced, looking sharply away from her.

"Trilla..."

"Just...don't."

They were silent once more.

O

A snap of electricity.

Greez hissed sharply as he worked to remove a part from the ship. He cursed in his native language and Cere approached him, offering a rag. He smiled up at her, taking it to wipe some dirt from his cheeks.

"Well, I don't think we need to worry about the Empire finding us this time," he said, "I rigged the transponder beacon to fluctuate our signal. It'll keep 'em confused for a while."

"Good."

Cere looked at Cal when he entered the ship with Merrin.

"Hey!" he said, "You guys won't believe this. But there's a Jedi Temple not far from here!"

Cere looked surprised and Greez sighed, slouching his shoulders. "Kid, I think I speak for all of us when I say we're about due for some R&R after what happened on Batuu. Sure you want to get into old Jedi ruins right now?"

"What ruins?"

Sienna was curious as she heard the news upon entering the ship with Trilla. Everyone turned to them, a moment of discomfort lighting their faces; they were still wary after what had happened and Trilla could see they wanted to know what had happened with her.

"You don't have to tiptoe," she said, evenly. "I'm fine." She looked at Cal now. "What Jedi Temple are you speaking of?"

"The ruins of Lothal," Cere explained for her, after a moment. She still looked concerned. "I've been here before. It was a place where Jedi Masters would take their Padawans to determine their readiness to become a Jedi."

Trilla smiled a little. "So, it's a vergence for the Force."

"That's right." Cere answered, a little happy to see her sharing.

Sienna tilted her head curiously. "Did any Miraluka come here?"

"A few, actually." Cere replied, "They came here to train like everyone else."

Sienna smiled hopefully. "Perhaps I can learn something here. It would be nice to pay this temple a visit while we have the chance."

"Let's take the Muntuur stone, then," Cere suggested. "We can use it to meditate. Maybe we can all get in touch with ourselves there."

Greez nodded his head. "Alright, while you guys head out I'll watch the ship."

Merrin looked down at him. "Are you sure? You should come with us. Perhaps it could help you to better understand Jedi culture. I could do with a few lessons myself."

"Nah. I'm not really..."

Sienna put a hand on his shoulder with a smile. "Greez, you're a part of this, too. We can share it with you." she offered.

Greez gave a short laugh, seemingly flattered by the offer. "Alright. Sure. Why not? I mean, it can't be that scary, right?"

O

"Whoa."

Greez stared up at the towering spire with wide eyes.

It was made of stone, twisted together like a corkscrew. Vines had grown over it and several craters had been made along the sides of the building, perhaps from blaster fire. Cere had looked concerned by the sight of it.

"This isn't the temple I've been to before," she said. "There's great energy here. It's older." She looked at the others. "Do you feel it?"

Merrin raised a hand to one of the twisted stones. "Yes. The energy is older, as you say. It feels...intricate and complicated. Not like Dathomir, but...almost the same."

Sienna also placed a hand against the stone and her brow knotted. "Old shades of gray swimming through the cracks..." she mused, "Hard edges of yellows. Something happened here. Something terrible."

Cere's features were grave. "Yes... After the Purge, most Jedi went into hiding. Cal? What do you think?"

Cal looked at the watchers and his gaze lingered on Trilla, who looked vaguely interested in what he might see. She observed as he raised his hand to the wall, shut his eyes and focused. BD-1 was nearby, scanning various ruins.

"They were hiding." Cal said, opening his eyes and looking at them gravely. "The Empire gunned a few down here..."

He gestured to the marks on the walls where blasters had fired into it. Merrin's features were a mix of shock and disgust.

"Where they Jedi?" she asked.

Cal shook his head. "No...sympathizers." he told them. "People of Lothal who wanted to help keep them safe. The Jedi had done the same for them. They tried to stand up to the Empire, but..."

Trilla sighed. "They were foolish." A few stares and she frowned at them now. "Don't look at me like that. You know as well as I what a sympathizer's fate is."

Cere looked up at the temple. "Still, this would be a good opportunity to learn about these ruins," she pointed out. "Let's check it out. Stay close."

The group filed their way inside through a fissure in the wall.

The wind was bitter here and tasted of dust. It also smelled like wet earth all at the same time. Perhaps there was a pool somewhere nearby.

Cal activated his lightsaber to provide them with a source of light.

It would be quite interesting to see what they would find.

And it would be good to distract Trilla from the screams still in her head.

O

The group made their way into an enormous chamber.

There was a pool of water filled with algae and debris from the old ceiling that had caved in above them. Trilla noticed a skeleton of a Rodian laying in the pool and saw a flash of the Youngling in her head. She swallowed thickly and turned away.

"Look at this!" Cal was holding up the lightsaber to a statue depicting what could have been a Jedi Master. "This looks almost like the statues on Zeffo. What do you guys think?"

Cere tilted her head to study it. "Hm. The Zeffo did travel the galaxies. Maybe there was some influence here."

She took a step forward, her heel pressing into something that crunched beneath her feet like glass. Frowning, Cere looked down and lifted her foot, surprised to see shards of glass lying there.

"What is it?" Merrin questioned.

Trilla knelt down, retrieved one of the shards and studied it in her hand for a moment.

She scowled, frowning back at Cal. "What did you say?"

Cal stared at her. "What? I didn't say anything?"

Trilla's frown intensified and she glanced around to each of them. "You were whispering something to me." she snapped. "It's annoying."

"Trilla, I didn't say anything." Cal argued, "No one did."

While they were talking, trying to make sense of the problem, Sienna could hear whispers behind her. She turned, tilted her head and peered down a corridor of stone.

"Father?" she said, hesitantly.

Cere held up two hands and no one noticed Sienna walking away. "Maybe this is some sort of Nexus." she told them. "The energies here are old. It could have been used for training and meditation. There's going to be some whispers of the past."

Trilla believed that much. Maybe that was all it could have been.

Greez looked uneasy. "Do we have anything to worry about?"

"A good question." Merrin agreed. She looked at the others. "Do you believe we benefit disturbing ancient Jedi ruins after all?"

Cal sighed through his nose. BD-1 chirped and hopped off of his shoulder, pattering around. Trilla frowned at the droid's movements before she noticed that Sienna was gone.

"Sienna?" she called. "Sienna!"

Cere blinked, worried now. "Wasn't she just here?"

"She was, she couldn't have gotten far." Cal assured them. "She might have just gone into another room to get a feel of the place."

Trilla sighed impatiently and made her way down the stone corridor first. "Wait here. I'll look for her." BD-1 started to follow, but she stopped and pointed a finger down at the droid. "NOT you."

BD-1 beeped with disappointment, antenna hanging low.

O

"Sienna?" Trilla stepped through a fissure in the wall. "Where did you run off to, woman?"

A few whispers filled the air and she immediately whirled, peering into the shadows. It was dark, but thin slivers of light were shining through the ceiling and walls.

Trilla scowled now, eyes scanning around her. Her instincts told her a threat was near. She felt her muscles tense, the Force around her twisting.

"Come out, coward!" she spat. "No one sneaks up on me!"

She spun around again when she sensed something close behind her, but ended up striking the air with her fist. She grunted, breathing heavily as she took a moment to collect herself.

This was ridiculous. These ruins were playing tricks with her, she was sure of it. She would not allow herself to fall prey to such illusions. It wasn't the first time she'd been brought to such places; the Empire had bid her to ancient Jedi ruins many times before. This was no different.

_Don't look._

_Please. Shut your eyes. Don't look._

Trilla made her way down the corridor and was relieved to see that Sienna was there, standing before a statue that was missing a head. But she was also a bit aggravated that the woman had chosen to wander off so recklessly.

"Sienna, what were you doing wandering off like that?" she snapped.

Sienna blinked, looking at her with astonishment. She seemed confused for a moment before grimacing, looking around the room.

"I'm... I'm sorry, I..." she said, "The sounds here are different than outside. The colors are old and they blend together. It's confusing and I... I thought I heard my father's voice."

Trilla looked up and noticed several little crystals drifting above them.

She could hear whispers again.

A snarl. One of the crystals started flickering in a myriad of colors.

_"Don't look! Look away. Look away."_

_"Trilla, I'm scared."_

_"I know. I'm scared, too. Just, stay quiet! They might leave."_

Sienna looked around, eyes widening at the voices in the air. Trilla felt a tightening in her chest as she heard them speaking in a younger variant of her voice and the Youngling she attempted to comfort. Just before they had been found.

"What is it?" Sienna asked, her voice frightened.

"I don't know," Trilla found the words were foreign coming from her, "A meditation tool possibly corrupted by the Empire's presence. Let's return to the others. This place makes my skin crawl."

She turned sharply, wanting away from the room as far as possible.

Then, the crystals whispered something in Sienna's voice. Much younger.

_"Father..."_

_"Please, father...please don't abandon me. I promise to be good."_

_"Don't hate me. Please."_

Trilla froze now, hearing the desperation in such a young voice; an agony that chilled her very blood to hear. She glanced at Sienna and noticed the other woman had shut her eyes. A pain came there as fast as it left.

Of course. It made sense now.

"Sienna! Trilla!"

Cere's voice cut through the whispers and drew their attention to the older woman making her way up to them. She looked relieved.

"Thank God, you're okay." she said. "Sienna, what happened?"

Sienna's brow wrinkled. She still looked shaken. "I thought I heard my father's voice. But it came from these crystals."

Cere frowned and nodded her head, holding up a shard and studying it. Merrin, Cal and Greez moved closer to her to see as well.

"What could they be?" Cal asked. "Should we do something about them?"

Cere looked around them. "These crystals were corrupted by darker forces," she explained, "They're Whispering Stones."

Merrin furrowed her brow. "What are they?"

"They were used to help heal sicknesses of the mind," Cere explained, to those watching, "I've only ever seen a few in my life. But because they are warped by dark energy, they will only use whatever hurts against you."

Trilla glanced briefly to Sienna. The woman still looked bothered.

"So is this what becomes of Jedi tools when they endure suffering?" Sienna questioned, her tone unhappy.

Cal nodded his head, just as disappointed. "Sometimes."

The crystals continued to whisper around them as they chose to sit in a circle to meditate with the Muntuur Stone between them. Greez didn't seem quite sure how to sit properly. Sienna helped him by gesturing to her own legs and how they were crossed. He attempted to mimic her.

"These crystals..." Merrin said, "What do we do with them?"

"This is a Jedi Temple," Cere told her, a sadness overcoming her, "We can't just destroy these crystals. Maybe we can heal them."

Everyone looked at Sienna and she seemed to feel their stares. She furrowed her brow, shook her head with uncertainty.

"I don't know." she said. "Their colors are jagged and sharp, bleeding in so many different directions. It's hard to focus on one. I could try if it comforts you."

Cal reached up to one of the crystals floating and plucked it out of the air. He offered it to her and Sienna felt it in her palm. She frowned, running her fingers across the many corners and edges. It was softly undulating with various colors.

 _"You're nothing but a mutt!"_ a voice snarled from it.

It made them look at the crystal in Sienna's hand, startled. Her features were strangely smoothed, albeit filled with pain.

"What's that crystal saying?" Cal asked, stunned. "Who is that?"

Sienna let out a quiet sigh through her nose. "Nothing I haven't heard before..."

Her hands were shaking now and she dropped the crystal to the floor. Trilla reached down to take it and Sienna shook her head with a small note of distress.

"I'm so sorry. I can't. It's too much." she whispered, strained.

"It's okay," Cere assured her, moving over to take a seat beside the other woman. "Don't worry. You don't have to."

Sienna looked relieved, but Trilla couldn't stop watching her.


End file.
